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Polystyrene nanoplastics affect the human ubiquitin structure and ubiquitination in cells: a high-resolution study
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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.
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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Structure of soft and hard protein corona around polystyrene nanoplastics—Particle size and protein types
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Researchers characterized the protein corona that forms around polystyrene nanoplastics of different sizes, finding that particle size influences which proteins bind and how tightly, with implications for nanoplastic toxicity and biological uptake.
Intracellular Protein Adsorption Behavior and Biological Effects of Polystyrene Nanoplastics in THP-1 Cells
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Researchers discovered that polystyrene nanoplastics enter human immune cells and adsorb hundreds of intracellular proteins, disrupting important cellular processes including energy metabolism and protein folding. The nanoplastics were taken into cells through a specific pathway called clathrin-mediated endocytosis and interfered with normal protein function once inside. This study provides new molecular-level evidence for how nanoplastics could harm human health by disrupting the internal machinery of immune cells.
Cellular Uptake and Nuclear Accumulation of Polystyrene Nanoplastics in 3T3 Fibroblasts and Hepatocytes of Rattus norvegicus
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Scientists found that tiny plastic particles called nanoplastics can get inside liver and connective tissue cells from rats, and even sneak into the cell's nucleus, where DNA is stored. Cells exposed to these plastics showed signs of stress and damage, including swelling and higher rates of cell death, suggesting these ultra-small plastic particles may be more harmful than previously thought. While this study used animal cells rather than human cells, it raises important questions about what everyday exposure to nanoplastics (found in food packaging, water, and other sources) might mean for our own cellular health.
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.
A new mechanism for ubiquitination in polystyrene nanoplastic-induced spatial cognitive dysfunction through microglial activation-induced apoptosis of neurons
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Researchers found that polystyrene nanoparticles disrupt microglial lipid metabolism in the brain by suppressing the protein RNF139, which leads to SREBP activation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and inflammatory signaling that ultimately kills neurons and impairs spatial memory in mice.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.