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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Nanoplastics and Immunity: Investigating the Extracellular Matrix’s Influence on Macrophage Interaction with Polystyrene Nanoparticles
ClearA comparison of the effects of polystyrene and polycaprolactone nanoplastics on macrophages
A comparison of polystyrene and polycaprolactone nanoplastics on macrophage immune cells found both types induced adverse cellular effects, with the study highlighting that plastic persistence in the environment may drive progressive accumulation leading to chronic immune system impacts.
Particle Shape and Intrinsic Cellular Variability Shape the Responses of Macrophages to Polystyrene Nano and Micro Particles
This study found that the shape of polystyrene particles and natural variation between individual macrophages both influence how immune cells respond to plastic particles. Understanding these factors is important for assessing the potential health risks of microplastic exposure.
Ingestion of micro- and nanoplastic perturbs tissue homeostasis and macrophage core functions
Researchers fed mice polystyrene particles chronically and found that micro- and nanoplastics breached intestinal barriers and accumulated in multiple organs, disrupting tissue homeostasis and impairing core macrophage functions including phagocytosis and inflammatory regulation.
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.
Protein Corona-Directed Cellular Recognition and Uptake of Polyethylene Nanoplastics by Macrophages
Scientists discovered that when polyethylene nanoplastics enter the bloodstream, they quickly become coated with blood proteins, and this protein coating determines how immune cells recognize and respond to them. High-density and low-density polyethylene attracted different protein coatings, leading to different immune responses from macrophages. This research helps explain how nanoplastics interact with the immune system once they enter the human body, which is key to understanding their potential health effects.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Polystyrene Nanoplastics Induce Neutrophil Extracellular Traps in Mice Neutrophils
Researchers discovered that polystyrene nanoplastics trigger the release of neutrophil extracellular traps in mouse immune cells through reactive oxygen species and PAD4-mediated chromatin depolymerization, revealing a previously unknown immunotoxicity mechanism.
Polystyrene Nanoplastics Increase Macrophage Bactericidal Activity Through a Mechanism Involving Reactive Oxygen Species and Itaconate
Researchers found that polystyrene nanoplastics are internalized by macrophages and accumulate in endosomes, lysosomes, and the endoplasmic reticulum, where they unexpectedly increase the cells' ability to kill bacteria. The study identified a mechanism involving reactive oxygen species and itaconate production, suggesting that nanoplastic exposure can alter immune cell function in ways that may have broader implications for immune responses.
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.
The internal dose makes the poison: higher internalization of polystyrene particles induce increased perturbation of macrophages
Researchers exposed human macrophages, key immune cells, to polystyrene particles of different sizes and found that smaller particles were internalized more readily and caused greater cellular disruption. Nanoscale plastics triggered stronger inflammatory responses and more oxidative stress than larger microplastics. The study suggests that the amount of plastic actually absorbed by immune cells, not just the amount present in the environment, determines how harmful the exposure is.
Effects of micro- and nanoplastic exposure on macrophages: a review of molecular and cellular mechanisms
This review details how macrophages, key immune cells, respond when they engulf micro- and nanoplastics. The particles trigger inflammatory signaling, damage mitochondria and lysosomes, cause excessive production of harmful reactive oxygen species, and can lead to cell death, while in fat tissue they promote fat buildup and insulin resistance.
Polystyrene microparticle distribution after ingestion by murine macrophages
Researchers tracked what happens to polystyrene microparticles after they are ingested by mouse immune cells called macrophages. They found that the particles were distributed unevenly during cell division in a cell-type-specific manner, and no active excretion of the microplastics was observed. The study suggests that once immune cells take up microplastic particles, the particles may persist inside cells and accumulate over successive generations of cell division.
Influence of the polymer type on the impact of microplastic particles
Researchers compared cellular toxicity of microparticles made from polystyrene, polyethylene, PVC, PLA, and cellulose acetate in murine macrophages and epithelial cells, finding that polymer type influences cytotoxicity and uptake behavior. All particle types were ingested by macrophages, but their surface chemistry and charge affected the degree of cellular damage.
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.
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.
Does size matter? A proteomics-informed comparison of the effects of polystyrene beads of different sizes on macrophages
Researchers found that macrophages treated with polystyrene beads of different sizes show size-dependent adaptive proteomic responses without triggering inflammatory responses, providing proteomics-informed insights into how particle size shapes cellular reactions to plastic exposure.
Polystyrene microplastics induce an immunometabolic active state in macrophages
Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics taken up by macrophages — immune cells lining the gut and lungs — triggered a metabolic shift toward an inflammatory state. This finding suggests microplastics reaching human tissues may alter immune function in ways that could contribute to inflammation-related diseases.
Polyethylene microplastics impede the innate immune response by disrupting the extracellular matrix and signaling transduction
This entry provides supplementary RNA-sequence data from a study showing that polyethylene microplastics disrupt the extracellular matrix and immune signaling in exposed cells. The underlying research demonstrates that microplastics can impair the innate immune response at a molecular level.
Toxicological profiling of polystyrene microplastics in raw 264.7 macrophages: Linking microplastic exposure to immune cell impairment
Researchers exposed immune cells called macrophages to polystyrene microplastics and found that the cells rapidly absorbed the particles within two hours. Higher concentrations caused mitochondrial damage, disrupted cellular recycling processes, and triggered inflammation-related signaling. The study provides evidence that microplastics can impair the function of key immune cells responsible for defending the body against foreign threats.
Polystyrene nanoplastics of different particle sizes regulate the polarization of pro-inflammatory macrophages
Researchers exposed immune cells called macrophages to polystyrene nanoplastics of two different sizes (50 nm and 500 nm) and found that both sizes pushed the cells toward a pro-inflammatory state at higher concentrations. This means the immune cells shifted toward producing inflammation signals rather than healing signals after nanoplastic exposure. Since macrophages are a key defense in the gut, this inflammatory response could help explain how microplastics contribute to intestinal inflammation.
Effect of micro- and nanoplastic particles on human macrophages
This study is the first to visualize polystyrene micro- and nanoparticles inside primary human immune cells (macrophages) from actual blood donors, showing that the particles increase cell death and generate harmful reactive oxygen species. The findings provide direct evidence that human immune cells react to plastic particles in ways that could contribute to inflammation and health problems.