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Polystyrene nanoplastics induce ocular surface toxicity via endoplasmic reticulum stress
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Tiny plastic particles called nanoplastics—found widely in our environment—can damage the surface of the eye, causing dry eyes and corneal harm, according to a new study in mice and human eye cells. The damage happens because these particles stress out a cell structure that helps proteins fold correctly, triggering inflammation and cell death; promisingly, a drug that relieves this cellular stress reduced the eye damage. While more research is needed to confirm this in humans, the findings raise concerns about how everyday plastic pollution might affect eye health and point to a possible way to protect against it.
The increasing environmental burden of micro/nanoplastics (M/NPs) has heightened concerns about their potential threat to ocular health, yet the molecular mechanisms underlying M/NPs-induced ocular surface injury remain largely unclear. In this study, we investigated the ocular toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs) with a focus on the involvement of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. A mouse ocular exposure model and a human corneal epithelial (HCE-T) cell model were established. Multi-level analyses demonstrated that PS-NPs exposure induced ocular surface toxicity in mice, characterized by diminished tear secretion and corneal epithelial damage. At the cellular level, PS-NPs were internalized by HCE-T cells and accumulated near the ER. Mechanistic investigations revealed that PS-NPs exposure was associated with the activation of the ER stress response, which was accompanied by disrupted redox homeostasis, NF-κB-driven inflammatory activation, promoted apoptosis, and impaired epithelial barrier integrity. Notably, administration of the chemical chaperone 4-phenylbutyric acid (4-PBA), an ER stress inhibitor, substantially attenuated these adverse outcomes in vivo and in vitro. Together, this study establishes a significant association between PS-NPs exposure, ER stress activation, and ocular damage, identifying ER stress as a key and targetable cellular event in the toxicological response to NPs.
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Microplastics and nanoplastics in the ocular environment: Pathways, toxic effects, and future challenges
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This review examines how micro- and nanoplastics may enter and affect the human eye, a topic that has received relatively little research attention. Researchers discuss potential exposure pathways, accumulation in ocular tissues, and mechanisms of harm including oxidative stress, inflammation, and cell death. The study highlights the need for more research on how plastic pollution could impact vision and overall eye health.
Polystyrene microplastic particles: In vivo and in vitro ocular surface toxicity assessment
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Researchers assessed the ocular surface toxicity of polystyrene microplastics in both in vivo and in vitro models. The study found that 50 nm and 2 micrometer microplastic particles caused damage to ocular surface tissues after 48 hours of exposure, affecting cell viability and inducing inflammatory responses. The findings suggest that microplastics present in cosmetics, tap water, and air may pose a risk to eye health.
The toxic effects of polystyrene microplastic/nanoplastic particles on retinal pigment epithelial cells and retinal tissue
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This study found that polystyrene micro and nanoparticles damaged retinal cells in both lab dishes and live mice, causing oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and inflammation in the eye. Nanoparticles were able to penetrate into cells and trigger more severe damage than microparticles. With growing use of contact lenses and eye treatments that may introduce plastic particles, these findings raise concerns about microplastic effects on eye health.
Protective role of SIRT1 activation against retinal injury caused by polystyrene micro/nanoplastics exposure
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Tiny plastic particles (the kind found widely in our environment) can build up in eye tissue and damage cells in the retina, the part of your eye responsible for vision, by increasing harmful oxidative stress and speeding up cell aging. Researchers found that boosting a protective protein called SIRT1 with a drug-like activator helped shield retinal cells from this plastic-induced damage in both lab-grown cells and rats. While more research is needed before this becomes a treatment for humans, the study suggests a promising target for protecting eye health as microplastic pollution continues to rise.
Morphology-associated ocular surface toxicity of micro- and nanoplastics: Fiber embedding contributes to persistent injury
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Tiny plastic particles from our environment—including both round beads and fiber-shaped pieces—can damage the surface of the eye, causing inflammation, dry-eye symptoms, and harm to the cells that protect your cornea. Fiber-shaped microplastics were especially concerning because they physically embedded into eye tissue and triggered longer-lasting inflammation than round particles. This suggests that when scientists study plastic pollution's health risks, they need to consider particle shape, not just size or plastic type—and it raises questions about how everyday exposure to airborne microplastics might affect eye health over time.
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