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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Micro- and nanoplastics reduce the phagocytosis and intracellular killing of E. coli by THP1-Blue™ NFκB monocytes
ClearEffects of Microplastics on Cell Viability, Phagocytic Activity and Oxidative Stress in Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells
Researchers exposed human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) to four concentrations of polyethylene glycol and natural microplastics and measured cell viability, phagocytic activity, and oxidative stress. Higher microplastic concentrations reduced cell viability and phagocytic function while increasing oxidative stress markers, indicating that microplastics impair immune cell performance.
Polystyrene microplastics induce activation and cell death of neutrophils through strong adherence and engulfment
Researchers found that neutrophils (key immune cells that fight infections) strongly bind to and swallow polystyrene microplastics, mistaking them for bacteria. This triggers inflammation and eventually kills the neutrophils, and the same response was confirmed in both mouse and human immune cells. The findings suggest that microplastics accumulating in the body could weaken immune defenses by destroying these important infection-fighting cells.
Generation of Eroded Nanoplastics from Domestic Wastes and Their Impact on Macrophage Cell Viability and Gene Expression
Researchers created nanoplastics from common household plastic waste like water bottles, styrofoam, and plastic bags, then tested their effects on immune cells. All types of nanoplastics killed immune cells in a dose-dependent way and triggered changes in genes related to inflammation, with polystyrene, polyethylene, and polypropylene being the most toxic. This study shows that the tiny plastic particles shed from everyday items can harm immune cells, which could weaken the body's ability to fight infection and disease.
Nanoplastics: Immune Impact, Detection, and Internalization after Human Blood Exposure by Single‐Cell Mass Cytometry
Using a new single-cell detection method, researchers tracked how nanoplastics interact with 37 different types of human immune cells from blood samples. The nanoplastics were absorbed by and interfered with several immune cell types, particularly monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells. Mouse experiments confirmed the nanoplastics accumulated in immune cells in the liver, blood, and spleen, raising concerns about how plastic exposure could disrupt immune function.
Detrimental effects of micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) on platelet and neutrophil immunity: Recent findings and emerging insights
Researchers reviewed how micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) harm the immune system, finding that tiny plastic particles can trigger dangerous inflammation in platelets and neutrophils — immune cells that control clotting and infection defense. These effects could disrupt normal blood vessel function and immune balance, though the exact mechanisms by which cells take up MNPs remain poorly understood.
Particle Uptake Driven Phagocytosis in Macrophages and Neutrophils Enhances Bacterial Clearance
Researchers found that immune cells (macrophages and neutrophils) that have ingested particles—like microplastics or pollutants—become better at killing bacteria. While this could represent a beneficial adaptation, it may also reflect an abnormal immune activation triggered by chronic particle exposure.
Polyethylene microplastics impede the innate immune response by disrupting the extracellular matrix and signaling transduction
Mice exposed to polyethylene microplastics showed a weakened immune response when challenged with bacterial toxins, with lower levels of immune signaling molecules and reduced immune cell activity. The microplastics disrupted proteins in the extracellular matrix, the structural framework around cells in the liver and spleen, which impaired immune signaling. This suggests that microplastic accumulation in organs could make the body less effective at fighting infections.
Microplastic pollution inhibits the phagocytosis of E. coli by earthworm immune cells in soil
Researchers discovered that polystyrene microplastics inhibit the ability of earthworm immune cells to engulf bacteria through phagocytosis, both in laboratory tests and in soil experiments. The microplastics also caused mitochondrial damage in intestinal tissue and suppressed oxidative stress responses in immune cells. This is the first study to demonstrate that microplastic pollution in soil can compromise the immune defenses of earthworms, key organisms in soil ecosystem health.
Mitigating microplastic-induced organ Damage: Mechanistic insights from the microplastic-macrophage axes
This review is the first comprehensive examination of how microplastics interact with macrophages, the immune cells responsible for engulfing and removing foreign particles from the body. When macrophages absorb microplastics, the resulting oxidative stress disrupts their normal function, leading to inflammation and organ damage, with gut bacteria potentially playing a role in this harmful process.
The Emerging Threat of Micro- and Nanoplastics on the Maturation and Activity of Immune Cells
This review examines how micro and nanoplastics affect the immune system, focusing on their impact on immune cell development and function. Studies show that these tiny plastic particles can alter how immune cells mature and respond to threats, potentially weakening the body's defenses or triggering excessive inflammation. Since humans are constantly exposed to microplastics through food, water, and air, understanding these immune effects is critical for assessing long-term health risks.
Micro- and Nanoplastics and the Immune System: Mechanistic Insights and Future Directions
This review summarizes how micro- and nanoplastics disrupt the human immune system at the cellular level, impairing key immune cells like macrophages, dendritic cells, and T cells. The particles trigger chronic low-grade inflammation through oxidative stress and activation of inflammatory pathways, and can worsen autoimmune conditions like lupus and inflammatory bowel disease in animal studies. These findings raise concerns that ongoing microplastic exposure could gradually weaken immune function and contribute to immune-related diseases in people.
Nanoplastics-mediated physiologic and genomic responses in pathogenic Escherichia coli O157:H7
This study found that nanoplastics can change the behavior of a dangerous strain of E. coli bacteria, boosting the activity of toxin genes and encouraging the bacteria to form protective biofilms. This raises concern that plastic pollution in the environment could make disease-causing bacteria harder to fight, potentially increasing infection risks for people.
Immune and inflammatory responses of human macrophages, dendritic cells, and T-cells in presence of micro- and nanoplastic of different types and sizes
Scientists tested how different types and sizes of micro- and nanoplastics affect key human immune cells, including macrophages, dendritic cells, and T-cells. Smaller particles and those with amino surface modifications triggered the strongest immune responses, including increased inflammation markers and changes in immune cell activation. These findings suggest that inhaled or ingested micro- and nanoplastics could disrupt the human immune system, potentially contributing to chronic inflammation.
Impacts of microplastics on immunity
This review examines the growing evidence that microplastics and nanoplastics can affect the immune system, covering studies in marine organisms, mammals, and human cell lines. Researchers found that these particles can trigger inflammation, alter immune cell function, and disrupt immune signaling pathways. The study underscores the need for more immunological research to fully understand how plastic particle exposure may compromise immune health in humans.
Microplastics released from food containers can suppress lysosomal activity in mouse macrophages
Researchers found that microplastics released from common food containers could suppress immune cell function by impairing lysosomal activity in mouse macrophages. The study tested particles from real commercial packaging materials rather than standard laboratory microplastics, making the findings more relevant to everyday exposure scenarios. These results suggest that microplastic contamination from food packaging may directly affect immune system function.
Cellular response of THP-1 macrophages to polystyrene microplastics exposure
Researchers exposed human macrophage cells to polystyrene nanoparticles smaller than 450 nanometers and observed significant decreases in cell viability, increased oxidative stress, and DNA damage. The particles also reduced mitochondrial membrane potential and inhibited cell proliferation. The findings suggest that microplastic exposure may impair immune cell function in humans, highlighting potential risks to the immune system.
Dose-Dependent Responses of Escherichia coli and Acinetobacter sp. to Micron-Sized Polystyrene Microplastics
Researchers exposed E. coli and Acinetobacter sp. to 1,040 nm polystyrene microplastics across a range of concentrations and assessed growth, oxidative stress, membrane integrity, and biofilm formation. Both species showed concentration-dependent decreases in growth and cell viability, increased oxidative stress markers, impaired membrane integrity, and enhanced biofilm formation, demonstrating microplastic toxicity to environmental and human-associated bacteria.
Repeated exposure to polyethylene microplastic mixtures containing PFAS and bisphenols activates THP-1 macrophages with inflammatory features
Researchers exposed THP-1 macrophages repeatedly to polyethylene microplastics combined with PFAS and bisphenol additives to more accurately simulate real-world human contamination. The study found that repeated exposure activated macrophages with inflammatory features, suggesting that the combination of microplastics and their chemical additives may trigger immune responses in human cells.
Micro- and nano-plastics induce inflammation and cell death in human cells.
Human cell cultures exposed to micro- and nano-plastics (MNPLs) showed elevated inflammation markers and cell death, with effects varying by particle type and concentration. The study developed a novel extraction and staining technique to identify individual plastic types in complex mixtures, advancing methods for assessing human cellular toxicity.
Origin matters – investigating the immunomodulatory effects of primary and secondary micro- and nanoplastics on human macrophages.
This study compared the immunomodulatory effects of primary microplastics with secondary microplastics derived from environmental plastic fragmentation, testing responses in macrophages. Results showed that the origin of microplastic particles influences the immune response they trigger.
Cellular internalization pathways of environmentally exposed microplastic particles: Phagocytosis or macropinocytosis?
Researchers investigated the cellular internalization pathways of environmentally exposed microplastic particles, examining whether phagocytosis or macropinocytosis is the dominant uptake mechanism and how the eco-corona of adsorbed proteins on MP surfaces influences cell-particle interactions.
The Immunotoxic Effects of Environmentally Relevant Micro- and Nanoplastics
Researchers characterized the immunotoxic effects of over 20 types of micro- and nanoplastic particles on macrophages and dendritic cells, finding that physicochemical properties such as size, shape, polymer type, and surface oxidation strongly influence immune cell responses.
Microplastic exposure aggravates pneumococcus-induced inflammation in macrophages by activating ferroptosis
Researchers investigated how microplastic exposure affects the immune response of macrophages to pneumococcal (Streptococcus pneumoniae) infection. They found that microplastics impaired macrophage phagocytosis, inhibited bacterial clearance, and amplified inflammation by activating ferroptosis and promoting M1 macrophage polarization through PI3K/Akt and MAPK/ERK signaling pathways. The study suggests that microplastic exposure may worsen bacterial lung infections by compromising immune cell function.
Protocol for dynamic high-throughput cell death screening of primary phagocytes following microplastic and nanoplastic exposure
Researchers developed a standardized lab method for testing how micro- and nanoplastics kill immune cells called phagocytes, which the body uses to engulf foreign invaders like bacteria and, potentially, plastic particles. The protocol uses live-cell time-lapse imaging to measure cell death in real time, providing a reproducible tool for studying how plastics harm the immune system.