Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Microbial colonization of microplastics in wastewater accelerates the aging process associated with oxidative stress and the insulin/IGF1 signaling pathway

Researchers found that microbial colonization of polystyrene microplastics in wastewater accelerates their aging and increases toxicity in organisms, with biofilm-developed microplastics inducing oxidative stress and affecting lifespan through the insulin/IGF1 signaling pathway.

2023 Environmental Pollution 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics on androgen- and estrogen receptor activity and steroidogenesis in vitro

Researchers tested how polystyrene micro and nanoplastics of various sizes affect hormone receptor activity and steroid hormone production in human cells grown in the lab. Smaller nanoplastics (50-1000 nm) were taken up into cells and interfered with both estrogen and androgen receptor signaling, while also altering the production of key hormones. This study provides direct evidence that nanoplastics can disrupt the human endocrine system at the cellular level, which could have implications for reproductive health.

2024 Toxicology in Vitro 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Dissection of the potential mechanism of polystyrene microplastic exposure on cardiomyocytes

Researchers investigated how polystyrene microplastics affect human heart muscle cells at concentrations reflecting estimated daily human intake levels. They found that the microplastics caused oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and disrupted calcium signaling in the cells. The study suggests that microplastic exposure may contribute to cardiovascular risks by directly damaging heart cell function at the cellular level.

2025 The Science of The Total Environment 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics arrest skeletal growth in puberty through accelerating osteoblast senescence

Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics accumulated in the bones of mice during puberty, leading to reduced body and bone length and impaired bone structure. The microplastics accelerated premature aging (senescence) of bone-building cells called osteoblasts, suppressing their ability to form new bone. The study suggests that microplastic exposure during critical growth periods may pose a risk to skeletal development.

2023 Environmental Pollution 59 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics cause granulosa cells apoptosis and fibrosis in ovary through oxidative stress in rats

Researchers exposed female rats to polystyrene microplastics at different concentrations for 90 days and examined the effects on their ovaries. The study found that microplastic exposure caused cell death and tissue scarring in the ovaries through oxidative stress, suggesting that microplastics may have implications for female reproductive health.

2020 Toxicology 415 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene Micro- and Nanoplastic Exposure Triggers an Activation and Stress Response in Human Astrocytes

Researchers exposed primary human astrocytes to polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics and found that these particles triggered cellular stress responses, including increased production of reactive oxygen species and activation of inflammatory pathways. Nanoplastics were particularly effective at penetrating cells and disrupting normal astrocyte function. The findings suggest that plastic particle exposure may contribute to neuroinflammatory processes in the brain, warranting further investigation into potential neurotoxic effects.

2025 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 1 citations
Article Tier 2

The reactive oxygen species as pathogenic factors of fragmented microplastics to macrophages

Researchers tested how fragment-shaped microplastics from polypropylene and polystyrene affect different human cell types and found that immune cells called macrophages were the most vulnerable. The toxicity was driven by the microplastics' ability to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), and interestingly, weathered plastics were less toxic because environmental aging made them better at binding protective proteins. The study suggests that macrophages are a primary target cell for ingested microplastics and that oxidative stress is a key mechanism of their toxicity.

2021 Environmental Pollution 107 citations
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastics impair in vitro swine granulosa cell functions

Polystyrene nanoplastics at the highest tested concentration (75 µg/mL) stimulated cell proliferation and steroid hormone secretion in swine granulosa cells while also increasing oxidative stress, suggesting potential endocrine disruption in female reproductive cells.

2021 Domestic Animal Endocrinology 42 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics induce biochemical and metabolism changes in human placental explants

Researchers investigated the effects of polystyrene microplastics on human placental cells, finding that exposure altered biochemical pathways and metabolic activity. The results suggest that microplastics reaching the placenta can disrupt cellular functions important for fetal development.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Reproductive Toxicity of Chronic Exposure To Polystyrene Microplastics And The Molecular Mechanism of Decrease In Testosterone Levels In Male Mice

Chronic exposure to polystyrene microplastics lowered testosterone levels in male mice and disrupted reproductive organ function. The study identified molecular pathways through which microplastics interfere with male hormone production, with implications for reproductive health in humans exposed through diet.

2021 Research Square (Research Square) 1 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2022 Toxicology 45 citations
Article Tier 2

Cellular Impact of Micro(nano)plastics on Human Health: A Review.

This review examined how micro(nano)plastics (MNPs) entering the human body through ingestion, inhalation, and skin contact affect cells and tissues. It synthesized evidence of oxidative stress, inflammation, DNA damage, and endocrine disruption associated with MNP exposure.

2025 Toxics
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics induces senescence of osteocytes by activating the cyclooxygenase-2 signaling pathway

Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics can be taken up by osteocytes, the most abundant cells in bone tissue, and cause them to undergo premature aging through a process called senescence. The microplastics triggered oxidative stress and activated a specific inflammatory signaling pathway involving cyclooxygenase-2. The study suggests that microplastic exposure could potentially impair bone health by disrupting the normal function of the cells responsible for maintaining bone tissue.

2025 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and Skin Aging: Disruption of Barrier Function and Induction of Fibroblast Senescence

Researchers investigated how polystyrene microplastics affect skin health using lab-grown skin cells and gene expression analysis. They found that microplastic exposure disrupted the skin's protective barrier by inhibiting normal skin cell development and accelerated aging in the deeper skin layer by triggering cellular senescence. The study suggests that microplastics may contribute to premature skin aging and weakened skin barrier function, adding to the growing understanding of how these particles affect human health.

2024 Experimental Dermatology 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Exposure of Human Lung Cells to Polystyrene Microplastics Significantly Retards Cell Proliferation and Triggers Morphological Changes

When human lung cells were exposed to polystyrene microplastics in the lab, cell growth slowed dramatically and their shape changed noticeably, even though the cells did not die outright. The 1-micrometer particles were taken up inside the cells, suggesting that inhaled microplastics could physically enter lung tissue. This is the first study to show that airborne microplastics can simultaneously slow human cell growth and alter cell structure, raising concerns about long-term respiratory health effects.

2021 Chemical Research in Toxicology 263 citations
Article Tier 2

Reproductive and metabolic toxic effects of polystyrene microplastics in adult female Wistar rats: a mechanistic study

Researchers gave female rats polystyrene microplastics orally for 45 days and found disruptions to both metabolic and reproductive hormone levels, including increased cholesterol, insulin resistance, and altered sex hormones. The microplastics also caused liver fibrosis and elevated inflammatory markers. The study suggests that chronic microplastic exposure may contribute to metabolic and endocrine disruption in mammals.

2023 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 56 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of Polystyrene Microplastics on Human Sperm Functionality: An In Vitro Study of Cytotoxicity, Genotoxicity and Fertility-Related Genes Expression

Researchers exposed human sperm samples to polystyrene microplastics in the lab and observed decreased sperm vitality and motility in a time-dependent manner. The microplastics also caused DNA damage, increased harmful reactive oxygen species, and reduced the expression of genes essential for fertilization. The study suggests that microplastic exposure could impair male fertility through oxidative stress and interference with key reproductive functions.

2025 Toxics 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastic‐induced endoplasmic reticulum stress contributes to growth plate endochondral ossification disorder in young rat

Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics caused growth problems and bone damage in young rats by triggering stress in a part of the cell called the endoplasmic reticulum. This stress disrupted the normal process by which cartilage turns into bone in growing animals. The findings raise concerns that microplastic exposure during early development could interfere with normal bone growth in children.

2024 Environmental Toxicology 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics mediate cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and autophagy in the G2/M phase through ROS in grass carp kidney cells

Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics cause kidney cell damage in fish by triggering oxidative stress, which leads to cells getting stuck in their growth cycle, programmed cell death, and self-digestion. Higher concentrations of microplastics caused worse damage, with reduced antioxidant defenses and increased harmful cellular responses. While this study used fish cells, the mechanisms of cellular damage are relevant to understanding potential risks in other organisms including humans.

2023 Environmental Toxicology 81 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of Polystyrene Microplastics on Human Kidney and Liver Cell Morphology, Cellular Proliferation, and Metabolism

Researchers exposed human kidney and liver cells to polystyrene microplastics of different sizes and concentrations to assess their effects on cell health. They found that microplastics altered cell shape, reduced proliferation, and disrupted cellular metabolism, with smaller particles generally causing more damage. The findings suggest that microplastics reaching internal organs could have measurable effects at the cellular level.

2022 ACS Omega 183 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic exposure linked to accelerated aging and impaired adipogenesis in fat cells

Researchers found that microplastic exposure accelerates aging in fat tissue by triggering cellular senescence (a state where cells stop dividing and release inflammatory signals) in both mice and cell cultures. The microplastics accumulated in fat tissue, increased markers of aging and inflammation, and disrupted the normal development of new fat cells. These findings suggest that chronic microplastic exposure could contribute to age-related metabolic problems and obesity-related diseases in humans.

2024 Scientific Reports 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastics as a Potential Environmental Health Factor: From Molecular Interaction to Altered Cellular Function and Human Diseases

This review examined how nanoplastics — particularly polystyrene — interact with cells at the molecular level, potentially causing lasting changes that could contribute to developmental problems and degenerative disease. The study highlights growing concerns about nanoplastics as an emerging environmental health risk given their widespread presence in food, water, and air.

2021 Serbian Journal of Experimental and Clinical Research 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicity of long term exposure to low dose polystyrene microplastics and nanoplastics in human iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes

Researchers exposed human heart cells grown from stem cells to very low doses of polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics over an extended period and found that the particles reduced the cells' ability to contract and disrupted their electrical signaling. The smaller nanoplastics (50 nm) caused more severe damage than the larger microplastics (1 micrometer), including increased cell death and calcium handling problems. This study provides direct evidence that even low-level microplastic exposure could harm human heart function.

2025 Food and Chemical Toxicology 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Exposure to polystyrene microplastics reduces regeneration and growth in planarians

Researchers exposed planarians (Dugesia japonica) to polystyrene microplastics to study effects on regeneration, growth, and stem cell function. The study found that microplastic exposure significantly reduced tissue regeneration and growth rates while increasing oxidative stress markers. The findings suggest that microplastics can impair fundamental biological processes like tissue repair and stem cell function in freshwater organisms.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 61 citations