PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - F. van Dijk AU - S. Song AU - G.W.A van Eck AU - X. Wu AU - I.S.T. Bos AU - D.H.A. Boom AU - I.M. Kooter AU - D.C.J. Spierings AU - R. Wardenaar AU - M. Cole AU - A. Salvati AU - R. Gosens AU - B.N. Melgert TI - Inhalable textile microplastic fibers impair airway epithelial growth AID - 10.1101/2021.01.25.428144 DP - 2021 Jan 01 TA - bioRxiv PG - 2021.01.25.428144 4099 - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2021/02/01/2021.01.25.428144.short 4100 - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2021/02/01/2021.01.25.428144.full AB - Synthetic textiles shed fibers that accumulate indoors and this results in continuous exposure when indoors. High exposure to microplastic fibers in nylon flock workers has been linked to the development of airway and interstitial lung disease, but the exact health effects of microplastic fibers on the lungs are unknown. Here we determined effects of polyester and nylon textile microplastic fibers on airway and alveolar epithelial cells using human and murine lung organoids. We observed that particularly nylon microfibers had a negative impact on the growth and development of airway organoids. We demonstrated that this effect was mediated by components leaking from nylon. Moreover, our data suggested that microplastic textile fibers may especially harm the developing airways or airways undergoing repair. Our results call for a need to assess exposure and inhalation levels in indoor environments to accurately determine the actual risk of these fibers to human health.Teaser Airborne fibers shed from synthetic textiles, in particular nylon, can inhibit repair of the cells coating the airwaysCompeting Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.