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Nanoplastics fate under pollutant adsorption and corona modulation mapped by cryo-3D-SIM and cryo-SXT
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Scientists found that tiny plastic particles become more toxic to immune cells when they pick up common pollutants from the environment—but interestingly, when these particles get coated with proteins (similar to what happens naturally in our blood and body fluids), that toxicity drops. This matters because it shows that a plastic particle's danger isn't fixed—it changes based on what it picks up along the way and how our body responds to it, which is important for understanding the real-world health risks of microplastic exposure through breathing and eating.
Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) are persistent pollutants with increasing evidence of human exposure through inhalation and ingestion, allowing them to reach various tissues and organs. Their biological impact depends not only on particle size and surface properties but also on the adsorption of environmental pollutants and the rapid formation of a biomolecular corona in physiological media, which jointly modulate particle–cell interactions. Macrophages, central to the recognition and clearance of foreign materials via phagocytosis, represent a key model for investigating MNP-induced cytotoxicity and inflammation. In this study, 300 nm polystyrene (PS) particles were employed as model MNPs and loaded with the cationic organic pollutant Brilliant Green (BG). Pollutant adsorption was quantified and selected concentrations were used in cytotoxicity assays with macrophages. Results showed increased toxicity of PS-BG compared to pristine PS, while the presence of a bovine serum albumin (BSA) corona reduced these effects. Confocal fluorescence and transmission electron microscopy confirmed differences in cellular uptake and morphology: pristine PS exhibited higher internalization, whereas BSA-coated particles showed reduced uptake and better-preserved cellular structures. Despite these insights, current imaging methods remain limited, as confocal microscopy lacks sufficient resolution and TEM requires sectioning. To overcome these limitations, we propose the use of cryo-soft X-ray tomography (cryo-SXT), complemented by cryo-3D-SIM. This correlative approach will provide high-resolution imaging of cells, enabling visualization of particle internalization, intracellular distribution, and organelle-specific alterations, with particular focus on lysosomal pathways. By comparing pristine PS, PS+BG, and their protein-coated counterparts over multiple time points, this study aims to elucidate how pollutant adsorption and corona formation modulate MNPs–cell interactions. These results will advance understanding of nanotoxicology and contribute to nanosafety assessment in environmentally realistic scenarios.
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Researchers found that when microplastics encounter proteins in biological fluids, they get coated in a "protein corona" that depends heavily on the plastic's chemical additives, surface area, and how much it has been weathered in the environment. This coating changes how microplastics behave in the body, meaning toxicity studies need to account for these real-world surface changes.
Characteristics of protein corona formation on the surface of micro- and nanoplastics and their effects on cellular uptake and transport
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When tiny plastic particles get into our bodies, blood proteins quickly coat their surface, and this coating changes how the particles behave. This study found that the plastic's size and electrical charge affect how much protein sticks to it, which in turn influences whether cells absorb the particles and how much damage they might cause. Notably, positively charged plastic particles were more toxic and better at slipping past the body's protective barriers, suggesting that not all microplastics pose equal risk.
The Composition of the Eco-corona Acquired by Micro- and Nanoscale Plastics Impacts on their Ecotoxicity and Interactions with Co-pollutants
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This review examines how the 'eco-corona' — a layer of environmental biomolecules adsorbing onto plastic particle surfaces — alters the toxicity, transport, and interaction with co-pollutants of micro- and nanoplastics, emphasizing that this biological coating fundamentally changes how plastics behave in living organisms.
Assessment on interactive prospectives of nanoplastics with plasma proteins and the toxicological impacts of virgin, coronated and environmentally released-nanoplastics
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Researchers found that nanoplastics quickly coat themselves in blood proteins, forming a multi-layered "corona" that changes the proteins' shape and makes them biologically harmful; these protein-coated nanoplastics caused more DNA and cell damage in human blood cells than bare nanoplastics. The study highlights the need to regulate nanoplastics in medical products and better understand how they accumulate in the body.
Protein Corona-Directed Cellular Recognition and Uptake of Polyethylene Nanoplastics by Macrophages
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Scientists discovered that when polyethylene nanoplastics enter the bloodstream, they quickly become coated with blood proteins, and this protein coating determines how immune cells recognize and respond to them. High-density and low-density polyethylene attracted different protein coatings, leading to different immune responses from macrophages. This research helps explain how nanoplastics interact with the immune system once they enter the human body, which is key to understanding their potential health effects.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.