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Gut & Microbiome
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Polystyrene microplastics cross the murine intestine and induce inflammatory cell death after phagocytosis by human monocytes and neutrophils
iScience2025
Score: 48
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0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Annemijne E. T. van den Berg,
Giulio Giustarini,
Annemijne E. T. van den Berg,
Annemijne E. T. van den Berg,
Selma van Staveren,
Giulio Giustarini,
Annemijne E. T. van den Berg,
Tim L P Skrabanja,
Tim L P Skrabanja,
Tim L P Skrabanja,
Nienke Vrisekoop,
Joëlle Klazen,
Tim L P Skrabanja,
Tim L P Skrabanja,
Tim L P Skrabanja,
Tim L P Skrabanja,
Tim L P Skrabanja,
Joëlle Klazen,
Tim L P Skrabanja,
Tim L P Skrabanja,
Annemijne E. T. van den Berg,
Raymond Pieters
Nienke Vrisekoop,
Nienke Vrisekoop,
Tim L P Skrabanja,
Tim L P Skrabanja,
Selma van Staveren,
Selma van Staveren,
Tim L P Skrabanja,
Tim L P Skrabanja,
Eva Mulder,
Raymond Pieters
Tom Vos,
Tom Vos,
Raymond Pieters
Giulio Giustarini,
Tim L P Skrabanja,
Tim L P Skrabanja,
Tom Vos,
Tom Vos,
Raymond Pieters
Zhaohe Zhou,
Nienke Vrisekoop,
Nienke Vrisekoop,
Raymond Pieters
Raymond Pieters
Zhaohe Zhou,
Zhaohe Zhou,
Raymond Pieters
Nienke Vrisekoop,
Nienke Vrisekoop,
Zhaohe Zhou,
Raymond Pieters
Thomas Klaessens,
Thomas Klaessens,
Leo Koenderman,
Thomas Klaessens,
Thomas Klaessens,
Raymond Pieters
Nienke Vrisekoop,
Raymond Pieters
Raymond Pieters
Eva Mulder,
Eva Mulder,
Raymond Pieters
Raymond Pieters
Nienke Vrisekoop,
Raymond Pieters
Joëlle Klazen,
Joëlle Klazen,
Joëlle Klazen,
Joëlle Klazen,
Joost Smit,
Joost Smit,
Raymond Pieters
Joost Smit,
Joost Smit,
Raymond Pieters
Raymond Pieters
Raymond Pieters
Raymond Pieters
Raymond Pieters
Leo Koenderman,
Leo Koenderman,
Nienke Vrisekoop,
Nienke Vrisekoop,
Raymond Pieters
Summary
Researchers orally administered 1 μm and 10 μm polystyrene particles to mice for 10 days and found that both sizes crossed the intestinal epithelium and were detected in blood and liver; when phagocytosed by human monocytes and neutrophils, the particles triggered complement-dependent inflammatory cell death.
Microplastics have been detected in human blood, raising concerns about human health. Here, we investigated the tissue distribution of microplastics after oral exposure in mice and their effects on mouse and human phagocytes. Both 1 and 10 μm polystyrene (PS) particles crossed the intestinal epithelium and were detected in the blood and liver of mice after ten days of oral administration. Intravital microscopy visualized phagocytosis of 1 μm PS by mouse neutrophils in the liver. Phagocytosis by human neutrophils required plasma or serum-coating of PS and was complement-dependent. Phagocytosis of coated PS induced monocyte and neutrophil cell death, with 10 μm PS requiring a single particle uptake, whereas 1 μm PS required much higher exposure levels. Neutrophil cell death upon 10 μm PS phagocytosis was characterized by extracellular DNA and classified as NETosis. These findings demonstrate that microplastics can penetrate tissues and provoke pro-inflammatory immune cell death, suggesting potential risks to human health.