We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Cellular uptake of polystyrene nanoplastics with surface Functionalization: An AIE-based quantitative approach
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers developed a new fluorescence-based method to precisely measure how cells take up nanoplastics with different surface coatings. They found that nanoplastics with carboxyl (acidic) surface groups were absorbed significantly more by immune cells than unmodified particles, and also caused greater cell damage. The study matters because as plastics weather in the environment, their surface chemistry changes, which may make them more likely to enter and harm living cells.
The increasing prevalence of nanoplastics (NPs) in the environment has raised significant concerns about their potential for bioaccumulation and toxicity. However, most toxicity studies currently focus on pristine polystyrene NPs (PSNPs), overlooking the impact of environmental weathering on their surface chemistry and interactions with biological systems. This study adopts an aggregation-induced emission (AIE)-based approach to quantify how surface functionalization affects cellular uptake, a critical step in assessing NPs toxicity. We synthesized carboxyl (-COOH) and amino (-NH) functionalized PSNPs through emulsion polymerization, incorporating an AIE fluorescent label to enable precise quantification and to distinguish the NPs from endogenous biomolecules. Using mouse macrophages (RAW264.7) as a model, we demonstrated that surface carboxylation significantly enhanced cellular uptake compared to the original NPs. This enhanced uptake effect is likely due to the increased interaction between the functionalized NPs and the cell surface receptors. Quantitative fluorescence analysis and flow cytometry revealed that PSNP-COOH exhibited the highest uptake and the most pronounced effects on cell toxicity. This AIE-based approach offers a more environmentally relevant model for evaluating NPs toxicity, understanding the importance of considering surface modifications when assessing the biological effects of NP exposure.
More Papers Like This
Cellular absorption of polystyrene nanoplastics with different surface functionalization and the toxicity to RAW264.7 macrophage cells
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers tested how polystyrene nanoplastics with different surface coatings affect immune cells (macrophages) and found that positively charged amino-coated particles were the most toxic. All types of nanoplastics were absorbed into the cells, but the amino-coated ones caused the most cell membrane damage, oxidative stress, and cell death through a mitochondrial pathway. This matters because it shows that the surface chemistry of nanoplastics, not just their size, determines how dangerous they are to immune cells that serve as the body's first line of defense.
Quantifying Cellular Uptake of Nanoplastics In Vitro: A Workflow for Fluorescently Labeled Nanosized Polystyrene Particles.
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists developed a reliable way to measure exactly how many nanoplastic particles get absorbed into human cells, using lung cells as a test case since we breathe in these tiny plastic bits from the air. Using two different measurement methods that confirmed each other, they found that lung cells readily soak up plastic nanoparticles, nearly every cell took some in, accumulating around 1,000 particles each after just one day of exposure. This matters because having a trustworthy measurement tool is a crucial first step for scientists to figure out whether the nanoplastics we're constantly exposed to actually pose health risks.
Quantification of Polystyrene Uptake by Different Cell Lines Using Fluorescence Microscopy and Label-Free Visualization of Intracellular Polystyrene Particles by Raman Microspectroscopic Imaging
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists tested how human cells take up polystyrene microplastic particles using three cell types that represent the lung lining, intestinal lining, and immune system. All three cell types absorbed the microplastic beads, with immune cells showing different uptake patterns compared to the barrier cells of the lungs and gut. This study confirms that microplastics can enter human cells through multiple exposure routes, including breathing and eating, and that immune cells may play a special role in processing these particles.
Hazard assessment of nanoplastics is driven by their surface-functionalization. Effects in human-derived primary endothelial cells
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers tested three types of polystyrene nanoplastics with different surface coatings on human blood vessel cells and found that the surface chemistry dramatically affected their toxicity. Positively charged nanoplastics were the most harmful, killing cells, while all types caused DNA damage and oxidative stress. This study shows that as plastics break down in the environment and their surface properties change, their potential to harm the cardiovascular system may change in unpredictable ways.
Uptake of Breathable Nano- and Micro-Sized Polystyrene Particles: Comparison of Virgin and Oxidised nPS/mPS in Human Alveolar Cells
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers compared uptake of virgin and oxidized polystyrene nano- and microparticles in human lung cells, finding that photoaged particles showed altered surface chemistry and different cellular internalization patterns relevant to realistic airborne microplastic exposure.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.