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Cytotoxicity of Polystyrene Nanoplastics Involves Mitochondrial Dysfunction and DNA Damage in Hemocytes of the Pacific Oyster
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Scientists found that tiny plastic particles (nanoplastics) can damage the immune cells of oysters by harming their mitochondria, the "batteries" that power cells, leading to DNA damage even at low exposure levels. While this study was done in oysters, not humans, it adds to growing evidence that nanoplastics can disrupt basic cell functions, raising questions about what similar exposure might mean for human health given how widespread plastic pollution has become in our food and water.
Nanoplastics represent an increasing ecological threat to marine ecosystems, with the potential to disrupt immune responses, oxidative stress pathways, and bioenergetics. We employed an in vitro cellular bioassay to investigate the distribution, metabolic disruption, and genotoxicity resulting from 24 hours of exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics (NanoPS, approximately 90 nm) in the hemocytes of the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas). Transmission electron microscopy suggested the internalization and distribution of NanoPS within vesicles, the cytosol, and the nuclei of exposed hemocytes. Cytotoxicity assays revealed that metabolic activity (resazurin assay, LC50 = 91.6 mg/L) was more sensitive than lysosomal integrity (neutral red assay, LC50 = 252.3 mg/L). Exposure to NanoPS also increased the levels of reactive oxygen species and DNA damage as low as 1.2 mg/L. Metabolic assays revealed that enhancing mitochondrial metabolism through galactose supplementation increased the cytotoxicity and DNA damage caused by NanoPS. Conversely, promoting anaerobic metabolism with glucose supplementation reduced these effects. Co-exposures with the mitochondrial uncoupler FCCP did not decrease cellular viability but elevated DNA damage. We suggest that mitochondria are a sensitive target of nanoplastics in bivalve hemocytes, highlighting the importance of considering aerobic metabolism in assessing nanoplastic toxicity. The strong correlation with the published in vivo effects of this same NanoPS highlights the biological relevance of this cellular toxicity assessment. This research supports the use of hemocyte-based cellular assays to complement in vivo studies for characterizing nanoplastic toxicity mechanisms in marine organisms.
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Cytotoxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics involves mitochondrial dysfunction and DNA damage in hemocytes of the Pacific oyster
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Researchers used an in vitro cellular bioassay with Pacific oyster hemocytes to investigate the toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics, finding that 24-hour exposure caused mitochondrial dysfunction, elevated reactive oxygen species, and DNA damage. The results identify immune cell mitochondria as key targets of nanoplastic cytotoxicity in marine bivalves.
Molecular and cellular effects of nano- and microplastics on oysters: a review
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Researchers reviewed the ecotoxicological effects of nano- and microplastics on oysters, finding that while high concentrations cause measurable physiological and cellular harm, there is a critical lack of studies at environmentally realistic exposure levels needed to accurately predict ecological consequences.
What Can Model Polystyrene Nanoparticles Can Teach Us on the Impact of Nanoplastics in Bivalves? Studies in Mytilus from the Molecular to the Organism Level
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Researchers used model polystyrene nanoparticles to study how nanoplastics affect mussels at the molecular and whole-organism level, shedding light on the potential harm of plastic particles smaller than one micrometer. Because nanoplastics can penetrate cells more easily than larger microplastics, these findings suggest they may pose distinct biological risks to aquatic life and potentially humans.
Physiological impacts of microplastics on the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas: The role of particle size and concentration
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Laboratory experiments on Pacific oysters exposed to microplastics of varying sizes and concentrations found decreased survival rates, increased oxygen consumption, and histological damage to digestive and gill tissues, with effects scaling with concentration. Oysters are global seafood staples and efficient bioaccumulators, meaning physiological damage at environmentally relevant concentrations translates directly into concerns about both aquatic ecosystem health and the safety of oysters in the human diet.
Cellular Uptake and Nuclear Accumulation of Polystyrene Nanoplastics in 3T3 Fibroblasts and Hepatocytes of Rattus norvegicus
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Scientists found that tiny plastic particles called nanoplastics can get inside liver and connective tissue cells from rats, and even sneak into the cell's nucleus, where DNA is stored. Cells exposed to these plastics showed signs of stress and damage, including swelling and higher rates of cell death, suggesting these ultra-small plastic particles may be more harmful than previously thought. While this study used animal cells rather than human cells, it raises important questions about what everyday exposure to nanoplastics (found in food packaging, water, and other sources) might mean for our own cellular health.
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