We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Polystyrene Nanoplastics Disrupt Dermal Fibroblast Function Without Causing Cytotoxicity
Summary
Researchers exposed human dermal fibroblasts to polystyrene nanoplastics for up to seven weeks, finding no significant reduction in cell number but marked disruption of cell morphology and substantial loss of fibronectin and laminin expression in the extracellular matrix — indicating that nanoplastics impair skin structural function through sub-lethal mechanisms even at concentrations that do not kill cells.
Skin is a vital barrier to prevent external factors, including nanoplastics (NPs), from entering the body. Most NPs originate from the recycling of larger items, such as plastic bottles and tires. Despite their prevalence, the effects of NPs on skin are unknown. As such, we investigated the effects of a common NP, polystyrene (PS), on fibroblasts, the cells responsible for maintaining the extracellular matrix (ECM). We investigated cytotoxic effects by exposing fibroblasts to PS-NPs for seven days. Using a growth assay, we found no significant changes in cell number. However, there was a change in morphology as cells lost their elongated shape and showed spreading. Next, we asked if PS-NPs could disrupt ECM deposition and structure. We cultured fibroblasts with one PS-NP exposure for 96 h, followed by long-term culture for four weeks. We analyzed ECM components fibronectin and pan-laminin by immunostaining and found significant loss of expression and aberrant structure. Taken together, we found that PS-NPs compromise fibroblast function without cytotoxicity, indicating that PS-NPs have the potential to induce persistent, harmful effects on the skin. As NPs in the environment will only continue to increase, understanding the consequences of skin exposure is imperative to establishing preventative measures against NPs.