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Nanoplastics drive toxicity under co-exposure with perfluorooctanesulfonic acid in human intestinal cells

Environmental Chemistry Letters 2025 2 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 58 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.

Andi Alijagić, Andi Alijagić, Andi Alijagić, Andi Alijagić, Andi Alijagić, Tuulia Hyötyläinen, Annalisa Pinsino Magnus Engwall, Andi Alijagić, Eva Särndahl, Eva Särndahl, Oleksandr Kotlyar, Patrik Karlsson, Annalisa Pinsino Magnus Engwall, Tuulia Hyötyläinen, Magnus Engwall, Andi Alijagić, Oleksandr Kotlyar, Magnus Engwall, Magnus Engwall, Magnus Engwall, Magnus Engwall, Patrik Karlsson, Annalisa Pinsino Magnus Engwall, Magnus Engwall, Daniel Duberg, Andi Alijagić, Magnus Engwall, Magnus Engwall, Magnus Engwall, Nikolai Scherbak, Eva Särndahl, Eva Särndahl, Magnus Engwall, Annalisa Pinsino Magnus Engwall, Magnus Engwall, Oleksandr Kotlyar, Magnus Engwall, Magnus Engwall, Patrik Karlsson, Annalisa Pinsino Magnus Engwall, Eva Särndahl, Magnus Engwall, Magnus Engwall, Magnus Engwall, Magnus Engwall, Magnus Engwall, Magnus Engwall, Andi Alijagić, Tuulia Hyötyläinen, Nikolai Scherbak, Magnus Engwall, Magnus Engwall, Annalisa Pinsino Eva Särndahl, Magnus Engwall, Magnus Engwall, Annalisa Pinsino

Summary

Researchers exposed human intestinal cells to nanoplastics, the industrial chemical PFOS, and their combination, and found that co-exposure caused more severe cellular disruption than either substance alone. Nanoplastics primarily damaged mitochondria while PFOS affected cell membranes and internal structures, and their combination triggered broader metabolic changes including disrupted amino acid and lipid metabolism. The study suggests that the interaction between nanoplastics and common environmental chemicals may pose compounding risks to gut health.

Abstract Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and nanoplastics frequently co-occur in environmental matrices, yet the effects of co-exposure on cellular responses upon ingestion are poorly understood. Here, we exposed human intestinal Caco-2 cells to perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, nanoplastics, and their combination. Cell painting-based phenomics was used to map phenotypic alterations across subcellular structures, and untargeted metabolomics using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry was employed to assess metabolic changes. Results show that perfluorooctanesulfonic acid predominantly affected the actin cytoskeleton, Golgi apparatus, and plasma membrane, while nanoplastics primarily targeted mitochondria. Combined exposure disrupted the endoplasmic reticulum, RNA, and mitochondria. Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid reduced levels of carnitines, free fatty acids, nucleotides, and sugars, whereas nanoplastics inhibited ceramides, triglycerides, sphingomyelins, and additional free fatty acids. Combined exposure produced a metabolic profile resembling that of nanoplastics, with specific differences attributed to perfluorooctanesulfonic acid. Overall, nanoplastics appear as the main drivers of the co-exposure effects.

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