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Nanoplastics induced oxidative stress and VEGF production in aortic endothelial cells
Summary
Researchers exposed aortic endothelial cells to nanoplastics and found that the particles were taken up by the cells and triggered increased production of reactive oxygen species and a growth factor called VEGF, which is involved in blood vessel formation. The nanoplastics also increased metabolic activity while disrupting the cells' antioxidant defenses. The study suggests that nanoplastic exposure may contribute to vascular stress and cardiovascular risk.
Plastic is an important environmental issue and a more critical aspect concerns plastic fragments, mainly in term of nanoplastics (NPs). We demonstrated that NPs interfere with reproductive and adipose stromal cells. Since several research underlined an increased cardiovascular risk due to NPs, present study was undertaken to investigate their effect on aortic endothelial cells (AOC). We explored the specificity of their interaction with endothelial cells, quantifying their load in treated cells. Then, NPs effect was assessed on cell growth, generation of free radicals and antioxidant defence. Our data demonstrate that NPs colocalize with AOC. We found a significant (p<0.01) increase both in metabolic activity and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) production (p<0.01). Redox status appeared to be disrupted (p<0.05) by NPS. Taken together, the normal function of cultured AOC appeared negatively affected by AOC. Since NPs have been detected in blood, our present data appear of particular interest.