We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Polystyrene nanoplastics with different functional groups and charges have different impacts on type 2 diabetes
Summary
A study found that polystyrene nanoplastics can induce symptoms similar to type 2 diabetes, and the severity depends on the surface charge of the particles. Positively charged (amino-modified) nanoplastics caused the most serious blood sugar regulation problems by interfering with insulin signaling, suggesting that as plastics age and their surface chemistry changes, their health risks may increase.
Exposure to PS-NPs with different functional groups (charges) induced T2DM-like lesions. Amino-modified PS-NPs cause more serious T2DM-like lesions than pristine PS-NPs or carboxyl functionalized PS-NPs. The underlying mechanisms involved the inhibition of P-AKT/P-FoxO1. This study highlights the potential risk of NPs pollution on T2DM, and provides a new perspective for evaluating the impact of plastics aging.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
The effect and a mechanistic evaluation of polystyrene nanoplastics on a mouse model of type 2 diabetes
Researchers found that polystyrene nanoplastics worsened type 2 diabetes symptoms in mice, including blood sugar control, insulin resistance, and organ damage in the liver and pancreas. Even nanoplastics alone, without a high-fat diet, caused significant increases in blood glucose and insulin resistance at higher doses. The study reveals a specific molecular pathway through which nanoplastics disrupt blood sugar regulation, raising concerns that chronic human exposure to nanoplastics could contribute to metabolic diseases like diabetes.
Micro- and nanoplastic impact on insulin resistance and related metabolic disorder in rodents: A systematic review
This systematic review examined whether micro- and nanoplastics contribute to insulin resistance in animal studies. The findings suggest that polystyrene plastic particles can disrupt how the body processes sugar and responds to insulin, pointing to a possible link between plastic exposure and metabolic disorders like type 2 diabetes.
Comparing the effects and mechanisms of exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics with different functional groups on the male reproductive system
Scientists exposed male mice to polystyrene nanoparticles with different surface charges (unmodified, negatively charged, and positively charged) and found all three types damaged reproductive health by reducing sperm count, increasing sperm defects, and disrupting testicular tissue. The positively charged (amino-modified) nanoparticles were the most toxic, causing the greatest reproductive damage. This is important because as plastics age in the environment, they develop different surface charges that may make them more harmful to reproductive health than pristine plastic particles.
Role of nanoparticle surface charge in their toxicity
This study examined how surface charge (carboxyl vs. amino functionalization) affects the toxicity of polystyrene nanoparticles formed during plastic degradation, noting that nanoparticle toxicity can differ substantially from bulk material. Results highlighted that surface chemistry is a critical determinant of nanoparticle behavior in biological environments.
Hazard assessment of nanoplastics is driven by their surface-functionalization. Effects in human-derived primary endothelial cells
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.