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Polystyrene microplastics are internalized by human gingival fibroblasts, enhance cell motility and induce molecular changes revealed through proteomic analysis
Summary
Researchers exposed human gum tissue cells to polystyrene microplastics and found that about 10 percent of cells absorbed the particles, leading to significant changes in cellular protein levels. The affected pathways included metabolism, hormone responses, inflammation, and cell movement, with treated cells showing notably increased motility. The study demonstrates that microplastics can be internalized by oral tissue cells and disrupt important biological processes.
Plastics pose a significant global threat to the ecosystems due to their accumulation and impact on human health. The degradation of plastics results in the formation of microplastics (MPs), small particles less than 5 mm in size, which are released into the environment. Polystyrene (PS) is a major chemical component of plastics, and exposure to PS-based microplastics (PS-MPs) has been linked to cellular damage. This study aimed to explore the effects of 1 μm PS-MPs on human gingival fibroblast cells (hGF). PS-MPs induced a limited cytotoxicity at the tested concentrations and time points. Confocal microscopy, TEM and flow cytometry revealed the uptake of PS-MPs in about 10% of hGF cells. Proteomics identified a profoundly altered proteostasis in PS-MPs treated cells. Enrichment analysis of differentially expressed proteins uncovered disruptions in cellular pathways, including metabolisms (glycolysis and adipogenesis), endocrine functions (androgen and oestrogen responses), inflammatory responses (interferons α and γ) and cancer progression (epithelial-mesenchymal transition). Consistent with the enrichment analysis, treated cells exhibited a significant increase in motility. This study demonstrated that PS-MPs are internalized by cells and influence key cellular pathways related to inflammation, motility, and survival, reinforcing the notion that PS-MP exposure may pose risks to human health.