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Polystyrene Nano- and Microplastic Particles Induce an Inflammatory Gene Expression Profile in Rat Neural Stem Cell-Derived Astrocytes In Vitro
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Researchers exposed brain cells derived from rat neural stem cells to polystyrene nano- and microplastics and found that astrocytes -- the most abundant brain support cells -- were the most affected, showing reduced survival and widespread changes in gene activity. The activated genes were involved in brain inflammation and immune responses, while genes for fat metabolism were turned down. These findings suggest that plastic particles reaching the brain could trigger inflammation that may contribute to neurological problems.
Microplastics are considered an emerging environmental pollutant due to their ubiquitous presence in the environment. However, the potential impact of microplastics on human health warrants further research. Recent studies have reported neurobehavioral and neurotoxic effects in marine and rodent models; however, their impact on the underlying cellular physiology in mammals remains unclear. Herein, we exposed neural stem cells and neural stem cell-derived astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and neurons to various sizes and concentrations of polystyrene nano- and microplastics. We investigated their cellular uptake, impact on cytotoxicity, and alteration of gene expression through transcriptome profiling. The cell type most affected by decreased viability were astrocytes after 7 days of repeated exposure. Transcriptional analysis showed that 1274 genes were differentially expressed in astrocytes exposed to 500 nm microplastics, but only 531 genes were altered in astrocytes exposed to 50 nm nanoplastics. Both canonical pathway and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis showed that upregulated pathways were involved in neuroinflammation, innate and adaptive immunity, cell migration, proliferation, extracellular matrix remodeling, and cytoskeleton structures. The downregulated pathways were involved in lipid metabolism, specifically fatty acid oxidation and cholesterol metabolism. Our results show that neural stem cell-derived astrocytes repeatedly exposed to nano- and microplastics for 7 days undergo changes that are hallmarks of astrogliosis.
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Polystyrene Micro- and Nanoplastic Exposure Triggers an Activation and Stress Response in Human Astrocytes
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Researchers exposed primary human astrocytes to polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics and found that these particles triggered cellular stress responses, including increased production of reactive oxygen species and activation of inflammatory pathways. Nanoplastics were particularly effective at penetrating cells and disrupting normal astrocyte function. The findings suggest that plastic particle exposure may contribute to neuroinflammatory processes in the brain, warranting further investigation into potential neurotoxic effects.
Neurotoxic potential of polystyrene nanoplastics in primary cells originating from mouse brain
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Researchers exposed three types of primary mouse brain cells to 100 nm polystyrene nanoplastics and found that neurons underwent apoptosis while astrocytes survived but developed reactive astrocytosis with elevated inflammatory markers, suggesting that neuronal vulnerability to nanoplastic accumulation may be amplified by astrocyte-driven neuroinflammation.
Adverse interactions of plastic nanoparticles with cultured primary microglial cells.
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Tiny plastic particles from broken-down polystyrene (a common plastic) can get absorbed into brain immune cells called microglia, causing stress damage and triggering inflammation, according to lab tests on these cells. This matters because microglia act as the brain's cleanup crew and first line of defense, so if microplastics cause them to malfunction, it could contribute to brain inflammation linked to neurological problems—though this study was done in isolated cells, not in living people, so more research is needed to know exactly what this means for human brain health.
Exposure to microplastics/ nanoplastics induces responses of microglia and astrocytes: roles of oxidative stress and autophagy
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This study examined how microplastic and nanoplastic exposure affects glial cells in the central nervous system, specifically investigating responses of microglia and astrocytes, which are the brain's primary immune and support cells. Results showed that micro- and nanoplastic exposure triggered inflammatory-type responses in these cells, raising concern for neurological effects.
Polystyrene nanoplastics induce transient microglial activation via endolysosomal retention in the mouse cortex
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Tiny plastic particles from everyday pollution can reach the brain and temporarily rev up its immune cells, according to a mouse study, with larger particles causing more disruption to genes involved in brain signaling. This suggests that as microplastics build up in our environment, they may quietly affect brain health, even after exposure stops, making plastic pollution a growing concern worth watching.
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