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Aging Processes Dramatically Alter the Protein Corona Constitution, Cellular Internalization, and Cytotoxicity of Polystyrene Nanoplastics
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Researchers found that aging processes such as UV and ozone exposure dramatically alter how polystyrene nanoplastics interact with blood plasma proteins, form protein coronas, and enter cells. The study suggests that environmentally aged nanoplastics may have different biological effects than pristine particles, which has important implications for accurately assessing the health risks of real-world nanoplastic exposure.
Humans are exposed to nanoplastics (NPs) through different routes, which raises critical concerns of related health effects. Due to their small sizes, NPs are accessible to the bloodstream and prone to interact with plasma proteins. NPs are susceptible to different aging processes before entering the human body, and it is plausible to evaluate the effect of aging on the physicochemical and biological properties of NPs. Here, we found that ultraviolet (UV) and ozone (O3) aging treatments caused the oxidation of polystyrene NPs, resulting in their differential adsorption characteristics toward plasma proteins. More importantly, UV and O3 aging led to reduced cellular internalization of NPs and herein relieved their cytotoxic effect. Together, our current finding further enriches the understanding of NPs’ toxicity in a realistic scenario.
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Researchers investigated how polystyrene nanoplastics interact with urease to form a protein corona over time, finding that the corona's composition and structure evolve dynamically, potentially altering the environmental fate and hazards of nanoplastics.
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Researchers studied the effects of weathering and simulated gastric fluid exposure on cellular responses to polystyrene particles. The study suggests that environmental weathering can alter how micro- and nanoplastics interact with biological systems, with potential implications for understanding human health effects from ingested plastic particles.
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