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Nanoplastics aggravate the toxicity of arsenic to AGS cells by disrupting ABC transporter and cytoskeleton
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Researchers investigated how polystyrene nanoplastics of various sizes affect the toxicity of arsenic in human gastric cells. They found that while nanoplastics alone at noncytotoxic concentrations did not harm cells, they significantly enhanced arsenic accumulation and toxicity by disrupting cell membrane integrity, damaging the cytoskeleton, and inhibiting ABC transporter activity. The study highlights that nanoplastics can aggravate the harmful effects of co-occurring environmental contaminants even at concentrations previously considered safe.
The coexistence of nanoplastics (NPs) and pollutants such as arsenic (As) has become an unignorable environmental problem. However, there is still a considerable knowledge gap about the impact of NPs and pollutants on human health risks. In this study, the human gastric adenocarcinoma (AGS) cells were used as a model to investigate the toxicity of NPs with different particle sizes and As by MTT assay, western blotting, immunofluorescence and so on. The results showed that 20 nm (8 μg/mL), 50 nm (128 μg/mL), 200 nm (128 μg/mL), 500 nm (128 μg/mL), 1000 nm (128 μg/mL) polystyrene (PS) did not affect cell viability, ROS, intracellular calcium and activate apoptosis pathway in AGS cells. However, noncytotoxic concentration of NPs enhanced the cytotoxicity and intracellular accumulation of As. NPs destroys the fluidity of cell membrane and cytoskeleton, inhibits the activity of ABC transporter, and leads to the accumulation of As in cells. This work highlights that the damage caused by NPs, especially at the level of noncytotoxicity, joint with As cannot be ignored and provides a specific toxicological mechanism of NPs accompanied by exposure to As.
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Nanoplastics and Arsenic Co-Exposures Exacerbate Oncogenic Biomarkers under an In Vitro Long-Term Exposure Scenario
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Researchers examined the combined effects of polystyrene nanoplastics and arsenic on oncogenic biomarkers using an in vitro long-term exposure model. The study found that co-exposure to nanoplastics and arsenic exacerbated oncogenic biomarker responses compared to individual exposures. The findings suggest that nanoplastics may act as carriers for arsenic, potentially modulating its uptake and amplifying harmful effects in cellular systems.
Toxic effects of co-exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics and arsenic in zebrafish (Danio rerio): Oxidative stress, physiological and biochemical responses
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In a zebrafish study, polystyrene nanoplastics made arsenic more toxic by helping the poison build up in the liver, gills, and intestines. The nanoplastics increased cell damage and oxidative stress beyond what arsenic alone would cause. This shows that nanoplastics can act as carriers for other toxic substances in water, potentially making environmental pollutants more dangerous to aquatic life and the food chain.
Integration of physiology, microbiota and metabolomics reveals toxic response of zebrafish gut to co-exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics and arsenic
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Researchers exposed zebrafish to arsenic combined with polystyrene nanoplastics and found that the nanoplastics significantly increased arsenic accumulation in the gut, by up to 77% at the higher dose. The combined exposure caused more oxidative damage and greater disruption to gut bacteria and metabolism than arsenic alone. This study shows that nanoplastics can make other environmental pollutants more dangerous by helping them accumulate in the digestive system.
Nanoplastics exacerbate the arsenic intestinal toxicity through oxidative stress, apoptosis and circadian rhythm disruption
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Tiny plastic particles (nanoplastics) can team up with arsenic — a toxic metal sometimes found in food and water — to damage intestinal cells far more than either one does alone, according to lab and animal experiments. The smallest plastic particles caused the worst harm, triggering cell damage, inflammation, and disruptions to the body's internal clock in gut tissue. This matters because most safety testing looks at pollutants one at a time, so real-world exposure to combined contaminants like this could pose a bigger health risk than currently assumed.
Nanoplastics and Arsenic Co-Exposures Exacerbate Oncogenic Biomarkers Under an in Vitro Long-Term Exposure Scenario
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This lab study examined whether nanoplastics combined with arsenic — a naturally occurring toxic element — had greater cancer-promoting effects than either contaminant alone. The combination worsened multiple cancer-related biomarkers in human cells over long-term exposure. The findings raise concerns about the health consequences of nanoplastic exposure in environments where multiple pollutants are present simultaneously.
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