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Large-sized polystyrene microplastics induce oxidative stress in AML12 cells
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Researchers exposed mouse liver cells to large polystyrene microplastics (50 micrometers) and found that even these bigger particles caused significant oxidative stress. Amino-modified microplastics were particularly harmful, triggering higher levels of reactive oxygen species and cell damage than unmodified particles. The study expands understanding of microplastic toxicity beyond the well-studied nanoscale range, showing that larger particles can also harm cells.
Microplastics (MPs), particularly those exceeding 20 μm in diameter, are increasingly detected in environment and animal tissues, yet their cytotoxicity remains poorly understood. While existing studies focused on MPs with relatively small sizes (≤ 20 μm) or nanoplastics (NPs), the biological impacts of large-sized MPs and amino-modified MPs are underexplored. In this study, we investigated the oxidative stress (OS)-mediated responses of alpha mouse liver 12 (AML12) cells to 50 μm polystyrene MPs (PS-MPs) and polystyrene-amine modified MPs (PS-NH-MPs) at concentrations of 0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.5 mg/mL for a duration of 48 h. Our investigation particularly emphasised on responses of apoptosis and ferroptosis. Intriguingly, exposure to PS-MPs at concentrations below 0.5 mg/mL did not induce significant ferroptosis-related alterations. However, at 0.5 mg/mL, PS-MPs triggered a significant increase in intracellular reactive oxygen species and reduced cell viability, paralleled by upregulated Caspase-9 mRNA expression, suggesting OS-driven apoptotic priming. Notably, surface functionalization with PS-NH-MPs did not amplify these effects compared to pristine PS-MPs, indicating particle size dominate hepatocyte responses. These findings provide a toxicological paradigm for large-sized MPs, emphasising OS as a pivotal evaluation criterion for risk assessment. These results provide a novel perspective for environmental monitoring of MPs.
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Polystyrene Microplastics Induce Oxidative Stress in Mouse Hepatocytes in Relation to Their Size
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Researchers exposed mouse liver cells to polystyrene microplastics of different sizes and found that smaller particles caused more oxidative stress and damage than larger ones. The microplastics disrupted protective antioxidant systems and increased harmful reactive oxygen species inside the cells. This suggests that the smallest microplastic particles may pose the greatest risk to liver health because they can enter cells more easily and cause more internal damage.
Large polystyrene microplastics results in hepatic lipotoxicity in mice
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Researchers found that long-term exposure to large polystyrene microplastics (40-100 micrometers) caused hepatic lipid metabolism disruption and lipotoxicity in mice, demonstrating that even large microplastics that do not accumulate in tissues can still cause significant liver damage.
Biological interactions of polystyrene nanoplastics: Their cytotoxic and immunotoxic effects on the hepatic and enteric systems
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Researchers exposed mouse and human liver cells and live mice to polystyrene nanoplastics of five different sizes and found that the smallest particles were most toxic in lab dishes, while medium and large particles caused the most liver damage in living animals. The larger particles triggered immune responses by recruiting inflammatory cells to the liver and intestines, causing tissue damage. This study reveals that nanoplastic size matters in unexpected ways, and that lab tests alone may not predict which particles are most dangerous in the body.
Effects of polystyrene micro/nanoplastics on liver cells based on particle size, surface functionalization, concentration and exposure period
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Researchers systematically studied the effects of polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics on human liver cells, varying particle size, surface chemistry, concentration, and exposure duration. They found that smaller particles were internalized more readily and that surface functionalization significantly influenced toxicity, with aminated particles causing the most cell damage. The study suggests that particle characteristics beyond just size play an important role in determining how micro- and nanoplastics affect human cells.
Size-dependent internalization of polystyrene microplastics as a key factor in macrophages and systemic toxicity
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Researchers systematically tested how the size of polystyrene microplastics affects their uptake and toxicity in immune cells and mice. Smaller particles (0.5 micrometers) were taken up much more readily by immune cells and caused more damage, including mitochondrial dysfunction and cell death, compared to larger 5-micrometer particles. In living mice, smaller microplastics accumulated more in organs and caused broader changes in blood and metabolic markers, confirming that particle size is a key factor in microplastic toxicity.
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