Papers

20 results
|
Article Tier 2

Cellular absorption of polystyrene nanoplastics with different surface functionalization and the toxicity to RAW264.7 macrophage cells

Researchers tested how polystyrene nanoplastics with different surface coatings affect immune cells (macrophages) and found that positively charged amino-coated particles were the most toxic. All types of nanoplastics were absorbed into the cells, but the amino-coated ones caused the most cell membrane damage, oxidative stress, and cell death through a mitochondrial pathway. This matters because it shows that the surface chemistry of nanoplastics, not just their size, determines how dangerous they are to immune cells that serve as the body's first line of defense.

2023 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 70 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparative evaluation of molecular mechanisms triggered by differently functionalized polystyrene nanoplastics in human colon cell lines

Researchers compared molecular mechanisms triggered by differently functionalized micro- and nanoplastics in human cells, assessing how surface chemistry affects cellular responses. Surface functionalization significantly altered the toxicity profile of particles, with some coatings increasing and others decreasing inflammatory and oxidative responses.

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

Comparative evaluation of molecular mechanisms triggered by differently functionalized polystyrene nanoplastics in human colon cell lines

Researchers compared molecular and cellular mechanisms triggered by differently surface-functionalized micro- and nanoplastics in human intestinal and liver cells, finding that surface chemistry strongly determines biological effects. Functionalized particles elicited distinct patterns of oxidative stress, inflammation, and membrane damage compared to unfunctionalized particles.

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

Cytotoxicity and pro-inflammatory effect of polystyrene nano-plastic and micro-plastic on RAW264.7 cells.

Researchers found that polystyrene nano-plastics (80 nm) induced apoptosis and pro-inflammatory cytokine release in mouse macrophage RAW264.7 cells at lower concentrations than micro-plastics (3 μm), with nano-plastics also enhancing phagocytic activity and activating NF-kB signaling pathways more potently than their larger counterparts.

2023 Toxicology
Article Tier 2

Comparative evaluation of molecular mechanisms triggered by differently functionalized polystyrene nanoplastics in human colon cell lines

Researchers compared the molecular responses triggered by polystyrene nanoplastics with different surface chemical groups in human colon cell lines. The study investigated how the specific functionalization of nanoplastic surfaces influences the cellular and molecular pathways activated upon exposure in human intestinal tissue.

2026 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Comparative evaluation of molecular mechanisms triggered by differently functionalized polystyrene nanoplastics in human colon cell lines

Researchers compared the molecular mechanisms triggered by polystyrene nanoplastics with different surface functionalization in human colon cell lines. The study examined how surface chemistry of nanoplastic particles influences their biological interactions with intestinal cells, contributing to understanding of how nanoplastics may affect the human gastrointestinal system.

2026 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Functionalized polystyrene nanoplastics induce distinct toxicity and transcriptomic changes in human intestinal Caco-2 cells

Researchers exposed human intestinal Caco-2 cells to polystyrene nanoplastics with different surface functionalizations (plain, aminated, carboxylated) and assessed cytotoxicity, cellular uptake, and transcriptomic responses. Surface chemistry strongly determined both uptake efficiency and the pattern of gene expression changes, with aminated particles inducing the most severe cytotoxic and inflammatory responses.

2025 Microplastics and Nanoplastics
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics exacerbated lipopolysaccharide‐induced necroptosis and inflammation via the ROS/MAPK pathway in mice spleen

Researchers found that polystyrene nanoplastics worsened the inflammatory damage caused by bacterial toxins in the spleens of mice. The nanoplastics triggered oxidative stress that activated inflammatory signaling pathways, leading to cell death, and these effects were significantly amplified when nanoplastics were combined with bacterial endotoxin. The study suggests that nanoplastic exposure may compromise the immune system's ability to handle infections and inflammation.

2022 Environmental Toxicology 82 citations
Article Tier 2

Amino-modified polystyrene nanoplastics induce endothelial pyroptosis and pro-atherogenic cellular responses

Researchers found that amino-modified polystyrene nanoplastics, particularly 20-nanometer particles, triggered pyroptosis, a form of inflammatory cell death, in human blood vessel endothelial cells. This cell damage promoted the recruitment, adhesion, and lipid accumulation of immune cells, mimicking early stages of atherosclerosis development. The study suggests that surface chemical modifications of nanoplastics can significantly influence their toxicity to the cardiovascular system.

2026 Food and Chemical Toxicology
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics activate NF-κB/MAPK signaling in synovial fibroblasts, promoting inflammation and joint destruction in rheumatoid arthritis

Researchers detected polystyrene microplastics in synovial fluid from rheumatoid arthritis patients and showed that 5 µm particles directly activated NF-κB and MAPK inflammatory signaling in joint fibroblasts, potentially amplifying synovial inflammation and joint destruction.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials
Article Tier 2

Are all nanoplastics equally neurotoxic? Influence of size and surface functionalization on the toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics in human neuronal cells

Researchers tested four types of polystyrene nanoplastics on human neuronal cells and found that toxicity varied dramatically depending on particle surface chemistry. Particles with amine surface groups were the most harmful, significantly reducing cell survival and causing visible damage to cell structures, while unmodified particles showed minimal toxicity, suggesting that surface properties matter as much as size when assessing nanoplastic risks.

2025 Environmental Pollution 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Cytotoxic effects of polystyrene nanoplastics with different surface functionalization on human HepG2 cells

Researchers exposed human liver (HepG2) cells to 50 nm polystyrene nanoparticles with three different surface chemistries and found that amino-functionalized particles caused the greatest cytotoxicity and oxidative stress, demonstrating that surface charge and chemistry — not just particle size — determine nanoplastic harm to human cells.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 211 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics dysregulate lipid metabolism in murine macrophages in vitro

Researchers investigated the effects of polystyrene nanoplastics on immune cell metabolism and found that macrophages exposed to nanoplastics transformed into lipid-laden foam cells. The study suggests that nanoplastic exposure dysregulates lipid metabolism in immune cells, with implications for understanding how these particles may interact with the immune system at the cellular level.

2021 Toxicology 91 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of polystyrene micro/nanoplastics on liver cells based on particle size, surface functionalization, concentration and exposure period

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.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 78 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene Nanoplastics Increase Macrophage Bactericidal Activity Through a Mechanism Involving Reactive Oxygen Species and Itaconate

Researchers found that polystyrene nanoplastics internalised by macrophages accumulated in endosomes, lysosomes, and the endoplasmic reticulum, enhancing bacterial killing through a mechanism involving increased reactive oxygen species production and itaconate signalling. The results suggest that nanoplastic exposure may paradoxically boost certain innate immune functions.

2025 Preprints.org
Article Tier 2

Size- and oxidative potential-dependent toxicity of environmentally relevant expanded polystyrene styrofoam microplastics to macrophages

Researchers tested how Styrofoam microplastics of different sizes and weathering conditions affect human immune cells and found that smaller particles, UV-weathered particles, and those from real-world sources were all more toxic. The microplastics triggered inflammation through a pathway called the NLRP3 inflammasome, which is linked to many chronic diseases. This is concerning because most Styrofoam in the environment has been weathered by sunlight, meaning the real-world health risks may be worse than lab studies using fresh materials suggest.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 40 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics induce glycolipid metabolism disorder via NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathway in mice

Researchers fed mice polystyrene nanoplastics and found that the particles disrupted the animals' ability to regulate blood sugar and fat metabolism. The nanoplastics triggered oxidative stress and inflammation in the liver, activating signaling pathways that led to insulin resistance and abnormal fat accumulation. The study provides evidence that nanoplastic exposure may contribute to metabolic disorders through specific molecular mechanisms involving the NF-kB and MAPK pathways.

2023 Journal of Environmental Sciences 38 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2025
Article Tier 2

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.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 69 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparison of lung disorders following intratracheal instillation of polystyrene microplastics with different surface functional groups

Intratracheal instillation of polystyrene microplastics with different surface functional groups (plain, carboxylated, aminated) in rats showed low pulmonary toxicity overall, but surface chemistry influenced acute-phase inflammatory responses—suggesting surface functionalization is an important variable in microplastic respiratory toxicity assessment.

2025 Journal of Occupational Health