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Assessment of polystyrene nano plastics effect on human salivary α-amylase structural alteration: Insights from an in vitro and in silico study
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Researchers investigated how polystyrene nanoplastics interact with human salivary alpha-amylase, a key digestive enzyme, using both laboratory experiments and computer modeling. They found that the nanoplastics competitively inhibited the enzyme and caused structural changes including loss of secondary protein structure. The study suggests that nanoplastic exposure in the digestive system may interfere with normal enzyme function, raising concerns about potential impacts on human digestion.
The study found that the enzyme activity of human salivary α-amylase (α-AHS) was competitively inhibited by nanoplastic polystyrene (PS-NPs), with a half-inhibitory concentration (IC) of 92 μg/mL, while the maximum reaction rate (V) remained unchanged at 909 μg/mL•min. An increase in the concentration of PS-NPs led to a quenching of α-AHS fluorescence with a slight red shift, indicating a static mechanism. The binding constant (K) and quenching constant (K) were calculated to be 2.92 × 10 M and 1.078 × 10 M• S respectively, with a hill coefficient (n) close to one and an apparent binding equilibrium constant (K) of 1.54 × 10 M. Molecular docking results suggested that the interaction between α-AHS and PS-NPs involved π-anion interactions between the active site Asp197, Asp300 residues, and van der Waals force interactions affecting the Tyr, Trp, and other residues. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and circular dichroism (CD) analyses revealed conformational changes in α-AHS, including a loss of secondary structure α-helix and β-sheet. The study concludes that the interaction between α-AHS and PS-NPs leads to structural and functional changes in α-AHS, potentially impacting human health. This research provides a foundation for further toxicological analysis of MPs/NPs in the human digestive system.
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This lab study exposed polystyrene micro and nanoplastics to simulated human digestive enzymes including saliva, stomach acid, and pancreatic fluid to see how they interact. The researchers found that digestive enzymes bind to the plastic surfaces, potentially changing how the body processes food and absorbs nutrients. This suggests that swallowed microplastics could interfere with normal digestion, though more research is needed to confirm effects in living people.
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Researchers used fluorescence spectroscopy and other analytical techniques to characterize how polystyrene nanoplastics bind to and alter the structure of alpha-amylase, a key digestive enzyme, suggesting nanoplastic exposure could potentially disrupt starch digestion.
Spectroscopic investigations on the interaction between nano plastic and catalase on molecular level
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Researchers investigated how polystyrene nanoplastics interact with the enzyme catalase at different pH levels, finding that nanoplastics alter the protein's secondary structure and reduce its enzymatic activity through static quenching and hydrophobic binding mechanisms.
Unraveling Nanoplastics–Enzyme Interactions: Physicochemical, Structural, Functional, and Cell Biological Characterization of α-Amylase–Nanoplastics Complexes
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Scientists tested how tiny plastic particles (nanoplastics) interact with a digestive enzyme called amylase, which helps your body break down carbs. They found that different types of plastic—like those from packaging or bottles—can stick to this enzyme and reduce how well it works, though the effect varied by plastic type, and the particles didn't appear to damage or enter intestinal cells in lab tests. This matters because it suggests the plastic particles we're increasingly exposed to through food and water could quietly interfere with digestion, even if they don't directly harm our cells.
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