Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Nanoplastic toxicity and uptake in kidney cells: differential effects of concentration, particle size, and polymer type

Human proximal tubule kidney cells were exposed to carboxylated polystyrene and PMMA nanoplastics of different sizes for 24 hours, revealing that cytotoxicity, cellular uptake, and oxidative stress were strongly dependent on particle concentration, size, and polymer type.

2025
Article Tier 2

The nephrotoxic potential of polystyrene microplastics at realistic environmental concentrations

Researchers tested polystyrene microplastics on human kidney cells at concentrations reflecting real-world environmental levels. They found that the particles attached to and were engulfed by the cells, triggering oxidative stress and inflammatory responses that reduced cell survival. The findings suggest that even realistic low-level microplastic exposure may pose risks to kidney health.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 119 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics induce apoptosis of human kidney proximal tubular epithelial cells via oxidative stress and MAPK signaling pathways

Researchers found that polystyrene nanoplastics cause programmed cell death in human kidney tubular cells through oxidative stress and activation of the MAPK signaling pathway. The toxic effects were dependent on both the size and dose of the nanoplastics, with smaller particles causing more damage. The study identifies specific molecular mechanisms by which nanoplastics may contribute to kidney cell injury.

2023 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of nano- and microplastics on kidney: Physicochemical properties, bioaccumulation, oxidative stress and immunoreaction

Researchers exposed mice to polystyrene nano- and microplastics of varying sizes and tracked their accumulation and effects in the kidneys. They found that the particles changed their physical properties during digestion, accumulated in kidney tissue, and caused oxidative stress and immune responses. The study suggests that plastic particle size plays an important role in determining the extent of kidney-related harm.

2021 Chemosphere 213 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics to human embryonic kidney cells and human normal liver cells: Effect of particle size and Pb2+ enrichment

Researchers tested polystyrene nanoplastics on human kidney and liver cells and found that particles smaller than 100 nanometers caused significant cell death, with kidney cells being more vulnerable. When nanoplastics carried lead contamination from water, their toxicity increased further. The study suggests that while nanoplastics alone in drinking water may pose limited risk, their ability to concentrate heavy metals is a serious concern.

2023 Chemosphere 43 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicological effects and mechanisms of renal injury induced by inhalation exposure to airborne nanoplastics

Researchers studied what happens to mouse kidneys after breathing in airborne polystyrene nanoplastics and found the particles accumulated in kidney tissue after entering through the lungs. The nanoplastics activated stress and inflammation pathways that led to kidney cell damage and death. Testing on lab-grown human kidney organoids showed they were even more sensitive to nanoplastic exposure than standard cell lines, suggesting developing kidneys in embryos could be particularly vulnerable.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 20 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

Cytotoxic effect of polystyrene nanoplastics in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and normal rat kidney cells (NRK52E)

Researchers tested how polystyrene nanoplastics affect human blood vessel cells and rat kidney cells in the lab. They found that nanoplastic exposure caused oxidative stress and reduced cell survival in both cell types, with effects increasing at higher concentrations. The study adds to growing evidence that nanoplastics can damage mammalian cells, though the implications for whole-body health require further investigation.

2024 Journal of King Saud University - Science 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Internalization and toxicity: A preliminary study of effects of nanoplastic particles on human lung epithelial cell

Researchers studied the effects of polystyrene nanoplastic particles on human lung cells and found that the particles were internalized by the cells and caused dose-dependent toxicity. The nanoplastics triggered oxidative stress, inflammation, and disrupted normal cell function. The findings suggest that inhaling airborne nanoplastics may pose risks to respiratory health.

2019 The Science of The Total Environment 613 citations
Article Tier 2

Correlation between cellular uptake and cytotoxicity of polystyrene micro/nanoplastics in HeLa cells: A size-dependent matter

Researchers tested polystyrene particles of various sizes on human cells and found that only the smallest nanoplastics, those under about 25 nanometers in radius, could enter cells and cause toxic effects. Larger microplastic particles did not penetrate the cell membrane and showed no toxicity even at very high concentrations. The study provides a clear explanation for why smaller plastic particles tend to be more harmful, directly linking cell entry to cellular damage.

2023 PLoS ONE 29 citations
Article Tier 2

The Kidney-Related Effects of Polystyrene Microplastics on Human Kidney Proximal Tubular Epithelial Cells HK-2 and Male C57BL/6 Mice

This study found that polystyrene microplastics caused damage to human kidney cells in the lab and accumulated in the kidneys of mice. The microplastics triggered mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation, and a cellular stress response called autophagy in kidney tissue. These results suggest that long-term microplastic exposure could be a risk factor for kidney disease.

2021 Environmental Health Perspectives 326 citations
Article Tier 2

Screening for polystyrene nanoparticle toxicity on kidneys of adult male albino rats using histopathological, biochemical, and molecular examination results

Researchers found that oral exposure to polystyrene nanoparticles caused significant kidney damage in rats, including oxidative stress, impaired renal function, and tissue alterations that worsened with increasing dose, demonstrating their nephrotoxic potential.

2022 Cell and Tissue Research 35 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of Orally Ingested Microplastics on the Structure and Function of the Kidneys

This study reviewed the structural and functional effects of orally ingested microplastics on kidney tissue, synthesizing experimental evidence from animal and in vitro studies. Microplastic exposure was consistently associated with kidney histopathology including inflammation and fibrosis, with particle size, shape, and polymer type influencing the severity of renal damage.

2024 Journal of the American Society of Nephrology
Article Tier 2

Bioaccumulation of differently-sized polystyrene nanoplastics by human lung and intestine cells

Researchers examined how human lung and intestine cells take up polystyrene nanoplastics of different sizes, finding that smaller particles were internalized in greater numbers but at lower total mass compared to larger ones. When compared on a surface area basis, the uptake rates were similar across sizes, suggesting that surface interactions with cell membranes play a key role. The findings indicate that particle size is an important factor to consider when evaluating the health risks of nanoplastic exposure.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 86 citations
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastics trigger the aging and inflammation of porcine kidney cells

Researchers exposed pig kidney cells to nanoplastics in the laboratory and found that the particles were absorbed into cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The nanoplastics triggered oxidative stress, leading to a buildup of reactive oxygen species in mitochondria, which in turn caused inflammatory responses and premature cell aging. The findings provide new evidence that nanoplastic exposure may contribute to kidney cell damage through oxidative stress pathways.

2024 Toxicology 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Cellular interactions with polystyrene nanoplastics—The role of particle size and protein corona

Researchers investigated how polystyrene nanoplastics interact with mammalian cells, finding that particle size and the protein corona that forms around particles in biological fluids strongly influence cellular uptake and toxicity. Smaller nanoplastics penetrated cell membranes more readily and caused greater disruption, suggesting that the tiniest plastic particles may pose the greatest biological risk.

2021 Biointerphases 61 citations
Article Tier 2

Multi-endpoint toxicological assessment of polystyrene nano- and microparticles in different biological models in vitro

Researchers assessed the toxicity and transport of polystyrene nano- and microparticles using multiple human cell models, including intestinal and placental barrier systems. They found that while neither size was acutely toxic, the nanoparticles were able to cross the intestinal barrier and showed some embryotoxic potential. The study suggests that nanoplastics may pose greater health concerns than microplastics due to their ability to penetrate biological barriers.

2019 Toxicology in Vitro 274 citations
Article Tier 2

Potential lifetime effects caused by cellular uptake of nanoplastics: A review

Researchers reviewed the potential lifetime health effects of nanoplastic uptake at the cellular level, noting that unlike larger micro- and macroplastics, nanoplastics can be absorbed directly by human cells. The study suggests that cellular uptake of nanoplastics may lead to various adverse effects including cytotoxicity, inflammation, and oxidative stress, though research on nanoplastic interactions with human cells is still in its early stages.

2023 Environmental Pollution 29 citations
Article Tier 2

Influence of the polymer type on the impact of microplastic particles

Researchers compared the cellular effects of polystyrene, polyethylene, PVC, and PLA microparticles on murine macrophages and epithelial cells, assessing uptake and cytotoxicity. All polymer types were ingested by macrophages, but the degree of cytotoxicity varied by polymer composition.

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

Effects of bisphenol A and nanoscale and microscale polystyrene plastic exposure on particle uptake and toxicity in human Caco-2 cells

Researchers studied how human intestinal Caco-2 cells take up polystyrene plastic particles of five different sizes ranging from 300 nanometers to 6 micrometers. The study found that smaller particles were taken up at higher rates and that co-exposure with bisphenol A increased cellular toxicity, suggesting that nanoscale plastics may pose a greater risk to human intestinal cells than larger microplastics.

2020 Chemosphere 267 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and Kidneys: An Update on the Evidence for Deposition of Plastic Microparticles in Human Organs, Tissues and Fluids and Renal Toxicity Concern

This review summarizes the growing evidence that microplastics are found throughout the human body, including in the placenta, lungs, liver, heart, blood, and breast milk. While direct evidence for kidney damage in humans is still lacking, animal studies show that microplastics can cause kidney inflammation, cell death, and oxidative stress. The findings highlight that microplastics are accumulating in virtually every human organ, though the long-term health consequences remain unclear.

2023 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 63 citations
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastics as a potential environmental health factor: effects of polystyrene nanoparticles on human intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cells

Researchers tested how polystyrene nanoparticles interact with human intestinal cells in the lab. They found that the nanoparticles were readily taken up by the cells in a concentration-dependent manner, but no significant toxic effects were observed under the conditions tested. The study suggests that while nanoplastics can enter gut cells, their short-term toxicity at the tested levels appears limited.

2019 Environmental Science Nano 203 citations
Article Tier 2

A new insight of size-dependent plastics particles kinetics with regarding of metabolomics effects in liver and kidney

Researchers developed a comprehensive extraction and detection protocol to track polystyrene particles of three sizes (80 nm, 2 µm, and 20 µm) across multiple organs in exposed animals, finding that smaller particles accumulated more broadly — reaching the brain, liver, spleen, and kidney — while liver and kidney metabolism was disrupted in size-dependent but distinct ways.

2025 Environmental Pollution
Article Tier 2

Cellular internalization and release of polystyrene microplastics and nanoplastics

Scientists studied how polystyrene plastic particles of different sizes enter and exit living cells. They found that particles 50 and 500 nanometers in size can penetrate cell membranes and get taken up through multiple pathways, while 5-micrometer particles are too large to enter cells. This research helps explain why smaller nanoplastics may be more harmful to human health, as they can more easily get inside our cells and accumulate there.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 373 citations