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Interactions of Micro- and Nanoplastics with Biomolecules: From Public Health to Protein Corona Effect and Beyond
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This review summarizes how micro- and nanoplastics interact with biological molecules in the body, including cell membranes and proteins. These particles can cause membranes to thicken and form pores, and they attract a coating of proteins (called a protein corona) that changes how the body responds to them, potentially increasing inflammation, oxidative stress, and disruption of hormone systems.
Micro- and nanoplastics (M/NPs), as ubiquitous global environmental pollutants, have garnered increasing attention due to their pervasive presence. These particles can interact with biological molecules through various mechanisms, subsequently inducing potential toxic effects on living organisms. This review investigates the hazards of M/NPs and their interactions with biological membranes and proteins, focusing on their interaction mechanisms and potential effects on biomolecular structure and function. Specifically, we summarize the exposure pathways and potential harms of M/NPs, which can enter the human body through ingestion, inhalation, and skin contact, potentially causing toxicity, inflammation responses, oxidative stress, and endocrine disruption. Additionally, we highlight the interaction between M/NPs and biological membranes, which can induce structural changes, including membrane thickening, increased fluidity, and pore formation, thereby compromising membrane integrity and affecting cellular health. Besides, we emphasize the interaction between M/NPs and proteins, suggesting that protein structural changes and corona formation can influence oxidative stress responses and cytotoxicity, thereby impacting cellular functions and viability. Ultimately, suggestions and outlooks for further research are proposed. Overall, this review systematically summarizes current research on the interactions between M/NPs and biomolecules, including their mechanisms and biological effects, providing researchers with a comprehensive understanding of the field.
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Nanoplastics and Protein Corona - Investigating the Corona Structure and their Biological Impacts
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This PhD thesis investigated how proteins from biological fluids coat the surface of nanoplastics, forming a 'protein corona' that changes how nanoplastics interact with cells and tissues. The protein corona is important because it alters the biological behavior of nanoplastics once they enter the body, potentially affecting how harmful they are.
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.
Coronas of micro/nano plastics: a key determinant in their risk assessments
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This review examines how micro- and nanoplastics develop surface coatings called coronas when they interact with biological and environmental substances. These corona layers, formed from proteins, organic matter, and other materials, can significantly change how plastic particles behave in the body and environment, affecting their uptake, distribution, and toxicity. The study suggests that understanding these surface coatings is essential for accurately assessing the real-world risks of plastic particle exposure.
A Trojan horse: micro- and nano-plastics with a bio-corona
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This review paper discusses how tiny plastic particles called micro- and nanoplastics pick up coatings of other substances, known as bio-coronas, when inside living organisms. The authors explain that this coating could carry chemicals like hormones into the body, potentially disrupting normal biological processes, and argue this topic matters for public health research.
Protein corona alleviates adverse biological effects of nanoplastics in breast cancer cells
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Scientists discovered that when nanoplastics enter human blood, proteins naturally coat their surface forming a "protein corona," and this coating actually reduces some of the harmful effects of the plastics on breast cancer cells. Without the protein coating, nanoplastics stuck to cell membranes and disrupted important signaling pathways, but coated particles were safely captured inside cellular compartments. This finding suggests that the body may have some natural defense against nanoplastics in the bloodstream, though the long-term effects of this process remain unknown.
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