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Microplastics can alter structural configurations of human non-canonical G-quadruplex DNA
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Researchers discovered that polystyrene microplastics can bind directly to G-quadruplex DNA structures, which are important regulatory elements in human genes involved in cell growth and cancer. The microplastics altered the shape of these DNA structures, which could potentially interfere with normal gene regulation. This is one of the first studies showing microplastics can interact with DNA at the molecular level, raising concerns about how plastic particles inside the body might affect cellular processes.
Microplastics (MP) with a diameter of less than 150 μm can enter the lymph and bloodstream systems, induce cellular toxicity and damage DNA. G-quadruplexes (GQs) are tetraplex DNA secondary structures found in the human genomes that play important roles in replication, transcription and genomic integrity. Comprehending the biological and molecular processes underlying the activities of MPs could aid in estimating potential hazards to humans. In this investigation, polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) and polyethylene microplastics (PE-MPs) have been selected because these two MPs are environmentally most prevalent and they are of different sizes. Several biophysical strategies were employed to identify that PS-MPs are the most potent MPs that bind to CMYC GQ DNA (present in the promoter of CMYC gene, important for cellular growth and proliferation) and may alter their structure. This study helps to understand the potential threat MPs possesses by interacting with key DNA structures.
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Impact of polystyrene microplastics on human alternative DNA structures
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Researchers investigated how polystyrene microplastics affect alternative DNA structures including G-quadruplexes and i-motifs, finding that PS microplastics induced conformational changes in these regulatory DNA structures, suggesting a potential pathway for genotoxic effects.
Impact of Polystyrene Microplastics on Human Alternative DNA Structures
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Researchers investigated how polystyrene and polyethylene microplastics interact with alternative DNA structures called i-motifs that help regulate gene expression. The study found that 100-nanometer polystyrene particles strongly interacted with the HRAS2 i-motif DNA, altering its structure and increasing its thermal stability. These findings suggest that small microplastics may disrupt DNA regulatory structures at the molecular level, potentially affecting gene regulation.
Nanoplastics Alter DNA
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Researchers demonstrated that positively charged polystyrene chains can bind directly to DNA helices through electrostatic interactions with phosphate groups, inducing structural changes in the DNA. The findings suggest nanoplastics with charged surfaces could interfere with DNA structure and function at the molecular level.
Genotoxicity and Genomic Instability Induced by Micro- and Nanoplastics: A Comprehensive Multi-Taxa Mechanistic Review.
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This review of existing research found that tiny plastic particles (microplastics and nanoplastics) can damage DNA in many different living things, from fish to human cells. The plastic particles cause this damage by creating harmful molecules called free radicals, disrupting the body's ability to repair DNA, and triggering inflammation. These findings suggest that the growing amount of plastic pollution in our environment could pose serious health risks to humans and wildlife.
Nanoplastic-mediated non-B DNA mutagenicity
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