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Article ? AI-assigned paper type based on the abstract. Classification may not be perfect — flag errors using the feedback button. Tier 2 ? Original research — experimental, observational, or case-control study. Direct primary evidence. Human Health Effects Nanoplastics Sign in to save

Polystyrene nanoplastics affect the human ubiquitin structure and ubiquitination in cells: a high-resolution study

Chemical Science 2022 17 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Maria della Valle, Gianluca D’Abrosca, Maria Teresa Gentile, L. Russo, Carla Isernia, S. Di Gaetano, Roberto Avolio, Rachele Castaldo, Mariacristina Cocca, Gennaro Gentile, Gaetano Malgieri, Maria Emanuela Errico, Roberto Fattorusso

Summary

Using NMR and TEM analyses, polystyrene nanoplastics were shown to form a hard protein corona with human ubiquitin and to impair ubiquitination in HeLa cells, revealing a potential mechanism by which nanoplastic exposure disrupts protein degradation pathways in human cells.

Polymers
PS

Humans are estimated to consume several grams per week of nanoplastics (NPs) through exposure to a variety of contamination sources. Nonetheless, the effects of these polymeric particles on living systems are still mostly unknown. Here, by means of CD, NMR and TEM analyses, we describe at an atomic resolution the interaction of ubiquitin with polystyrene NPs (PS-NPs), showing how a hard protein corona is formed. Moreover, we report that in human HeLa cells exposure to PS-NPs leads to a sensible reduction of ubiquitination. Our study overall indicates that PS-NPs cause significant structural effects on ubiquitin, thereby influencing one of the key metabolic processes at the base of cell viability.

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