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Microplastics induced apoptosis in macrophages by promoting ROS generation and altering metabolic profiles
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This study found that polystyrene microplastics trigger cell death in macrophages, key immune cells that serve as the body's first line of defense against harmful substances. Smaller microplastics (0.5 micrometers) were more damaging than larger ones because they can enter the cells directly, where they generate harmful reactive oxygen species and disrupt normal cell metabolism.
The ubiquitous presence of Microplastics (MPs) in various environments documented in recent years has recently raised significant concerns about their toxic effects. While macrophages serve as the first line of defense against toxic substances and pathogens, the impact and mechanisms of microplastics on these immune cells remain unclear. This study aims to explore whether MPs induce macrophage apoptosis through the promotion of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and alterations in metabolic profiles. The viability of RAW264.7 cells decreased as the concentration of 0.5 µm or 5 µm MPs ranged from 0.2 to 1.5 mg/mL, with a more pronounced effect observed in the 0.5 µm MPs group. Zebrafish exposed to 0.5 µm or 5 µm MPs at a concentration of 0.5 mg/mL exhibited decreased macrophage abundance and increased apoptosis, accompanied by alterations in the expression of inflammatory and apoptosis-related genes. While 0.5 µm MPs were observed to enter macrophages, 5 µm MPs only adhered to the cell membrane surface. Both particle sizes induced ROS generation and disrupted cellular metabolism in RAW264.7 cells. Notably, macrophages exhibited a more pronounced response to 0.5 µm MPs, characterized by heightened ROS generation, increased secretion of pro-inflammatory mediators, and a significant decrease in sphingolipid metabolism. These findings suggest that the adverse effects on macrophages are greater with 0.5 µm MPs compared to 5 µm MPs, possibly attributed to particle size effects. This study contributes additional evidence on the impact of MPs on human immune cells.
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Researchers investigated how macrophages, the immune cells that act as first-line defense in the gut and lungs, respond metabolically to polystyrene microplastic particles. The study found that phagocytosis of microplastics induced an immunometabolic active state in macrophages, suggesting that microplastic exposure may alter immune cell metabolism in ways relevant to understanding potential health effects.
Toxicological profiling of polystyrene microplastics in raw 264.7 macrophages: Linking microplastic exposure to immune cell impairment
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Researchers exposed immune cells called macrophages to polystyrene microplastics and found that the cells rapidly absorbed the particles within two hours. Higher concentrations caused mitochondrial damage, disrupted cellular recycling processes, and triggered inflammation-related signaling. The study provides evidence that microplastics can impair the function of key immune cells responsible for defending the body against foreign threats.
Polystyrene microplastics induce an immunometabolic active state in macrophages
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Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics taken up by macrophages — immune cells lining the gut and lungs — triggered a metabolic shift toward an inflammatory state. This finding suggests microplastics reaching human tissues may alter immune function in ways that could contribute to inflammation-related diseases.
The reactive oxygen species as pathogenic factors of fragmented microplastics to macrophages
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Researchers tested how fragment-shaped microplastics from polypropylene and polystyrene affect different human cell types and found that immune cells called macrophages were the most vulnerable. The toxicity was driven by the microplastics' ability to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), and interestingly, weathered plastics were less toxic because environmental aging made them better at binding protective proteins. The study suggests that macrophages are a primary target cell for ingested microplastics and that oxidative stress is a key mechanism of their toxicity.
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This study is the first to visualize polystyrene micro- and nanoparticles inside primary human immune cells (macrophages) from actual blood donors, showing that the particles increase cell death and generate harmful reactive oxygen species. The findings provide direct evidence that human immune cells react to plastic particles in ways that could contribute to inflammation and health problems.
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