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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Molecular mechanism differences between nanoplastics and microplastics in colon toxicity: nanoplastics induce ferroptosis-mediated immunogenic cell death, while microplastics cause cell metabolic reprogramming
ClearThe role of gut microbiota in mediating increased toxicity of nano-sized polystyrene compared to micro-sized polystyrene in mice
This mouse study found that nano-sized polystyrene plastics were significantly more toxic than micro-sized ones, causing greater gut inflammation, liver damage, and metabolic disruption. The key difference was driven by how each size affected gut bacteria: nanoplastics caused a more severe shift toward harmful bacteria and away from beneficial ones. The findings suggest that the smallest plastic particles may pose the greatest health risk because they more dramatically disrupt the gut microbiome.
Unveiling the gut’s plastic predicament: How micro- and nano-plastics drive distinct toxicological pathways in Enchytraeus crypticus
Researchers exposed the soil invertebrate Enchytraeus crypticus to environmentally relevant concentrations of polystyrene microplastics (50 µm) and nanoplastics (100 nm), finding that nanoplastics caused greater gut microenvironment disruption and more severe biotoxicity than microplastics, acting through distinct mechanistic pathways.
Nano-plastics and gastric health: Decoding the cytotoxic mechanisms of polystyrene nano-plastics size
Researchers examined how different sizes of polystyrene nanoplastics affect human stomach cells in the laboratory. They found that smaller nanoplastics were more readily taken up by the cells and caused greater damage, including increased oxidative stress and reduced cell survival. The study suggests that nanoplastic particle size plays a critical role in determining their potential impact on gastrointestinal health.
Effect of microplastics and nanoplastics in gastrointestinal tract on gut health: A systematic review.
This systematic review of 30 in vitro studies found that microplastics and nanoplastics cause size- and concentration-dependent damage to human gastrointestinal cells, including increased oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation, and apoptosis. Smaller particles consistently showed greater cellular uptake and biological effects, though chronic low-dose exposure generally produced minimal impacts.
Nanoplastics induce more severe apoptosis through mitochondrial damage in Caco-2 cells compared to sub-micron plastics
Researchers found that 20 nm polystyrene nanoplastics cause more severe apoptosis in intestinal Caco-2 cells than 200 nm sub-micron plastics, disrupting cell membrane integrity at 80 ug/mL, localizing in lysosomes and mitochondria, and triggering mitochondria-mediated cell death pathways more intensively than larger particles. The study suggests nanoplastic size is a critical determinant of cytotoxicity in the gastrointestinal tract.
Micro- and nanoplastics differ in particle-mucus interactions: The sight on rheological properties, barrier dysfunction and microbiota dysbiosis
Researchers compared how micro- and nanoplastics interact with the protective mucus layer lining the intestines and found that nanoplastics were wrapped in mucus while microplastics were not. Both particle sizes disrupted the gut barrier and altered the gut microbiome in mice at environmentally relevant doses, but through different mechanisms. The study suggests that the mucus layer, a key line of defense in the gut, responds differently depending on plastic particle size, with implications for understanding how ingested plastics may affect digestive health.
The potential effects of microplastic pollution on human digestive tract cells
Researchers tested polystyrene particles of four different sizes on human colon and small intestine cells to assess the potential effects of microplastic ingestion. They found that the smallest nanoscale particles were more readily taken up by cells and caused greater reductions in cell viability and increased oxidative stress. The study suggests that smaller plastic particles may pose a greater risk to the human digestive tract than larger ones.
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.
Nanoplastic-Induced Genotoxicity and Intestinal Damage in Freshwater Benthic Clams (Corbicula fluminea): Comparison with Microplastics
Researchers compared the effects of nanoplastics and microplastics on freshwater clams and found that both caused intestinal damage and changes in gut bacteria, but through different biological mechanisms. Nanoplastics triggered cell death through mitochondrial pathways and caused more severe damage to intestinal mucus layers, while microplastics activated immune responses and increased harmful bacteria in the gut. The study suggests that plastic particle size plays a key role in determining the type and severity of biological harm.
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.
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.
Beyond microplastics - investigation on health impacts of submicron and nanoplastic particles after oral uptake in vitro
Researchers compared how human intestinal and liver cells take up microplastics versus submicron and nanoplastics and found that smaller plastic particles (under 1 micrometer) pass through gut cells in larger amounts and behave differently depending on their chemical makeup. The findings suggest nanoplastics from contaminated food and beverages may be more bioavailable — meaning more likely to enter the body — than larger microplastic particles.
Microplastics induced inflammation and apoptosis via ferroptosis and the NF-κB pathway in carp
Researchers exposed carp to polyethylene microplastics and found they caused serious intestinal damage through two harmful pathways: ferroptosis (a type of iron-dependent cell death) and NF-kB-driven inflammation. The microplastics triggered a buildup of iron and reactive oxygen species in gut tissue, leading to cell death and tissue destruction. Since humans also ingest microplastics that reach the gut, these findings highlight a potential mechanism by which microplastics could damage our digestive system.
DistinctEffects between Polystyrene Micro- and Nanoplastics:Exacerbation of Adverse Outcomes in Inflammatory Bowel Disease-likeZebrafish and Mice
Researchers compared the effects of polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics on a biological system, finding that nanoplastics caused more severe adverse effects than microplastics at equivalent mass doses, likely due to greater surface area and cellular penetration capacity.
Research Progress on Micro(nano)plastic-Induced Programmed Cell Death Associated with Disease Risks
This review summarizes how micro and nanoplastics can trigger different types of programmed cell death, including ferroptosis, pyroptosis, and apoptosis, based on recent animal and cell studies. These forms of cell death are linked to inflammation and diseases affecting the gut, liver, lungs, brain, and reproductive system. The findings help explain the biological mechanisms through which microplastic exposure could contribute to chronic disease in humans.
Ferroptosis and Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Triggered by Environmentally Relevant Nanoscale Polypropylene Plastics in Human Intestinal Models
Researchers exposed human intestinal organoids and epithelial cells to environmentally weathered nanoscale polypropylene particles, finding they induce ferroptosis as the primary cell death pathway alongside Wnt/beta-catenin activation as a compensatory protective response, highlighting the importance of using realistic aged nanoplastics and 3D organoid models in health risk assessments.
Impact of Environmental Microplastic Exposure on Caco-2 Cells: Unraveling Proliferation, Apoptosis, and Autophagy Activation
Researchers exposed human intestinal cells to polyethylene and PET microplastics of different sizes and observed significant decreases in cell survival along with increased oxidative stress. The microplastics triggered both programmed cell death (apoptosis) and the cell's self-recycling process (autophagy), with effects varying by particle size. The study suggests that microplastic exposure may compromise the intestinal barrier through multiple pathways of cellular damage.
Distinctive lipidomic responses induced by polystyrene micro- and nano-plastics in zebrafish liver cells
Researchers compared how micro-sized and nano-sized polystyrene plastic particles affect fat metabolism in zebrafish liver cells. They found that both sizes were taken up by cells, but the smaller nanoplastics caused more pronounced disruptions to lipid profiles and triggered cell death pathways. The findings underscore that particle size matters when assessing the biological impact of plastic pollution on fish.
Uptake and Effects of Micro‐, Submicro‐ and Nanoplastics Investigated on in vitro Models of the Intestinal Barrier and the Liver
Researchers investigated the uptake and toxic effects of micro-, submicro-, and nanoplastics using in vitro models of the intestinal barrier and liver to assess how plastic particles of different sizes interact with gastrointestinal and hepatic cells. The study examined cellular internalization, barrier integrity, and metabolic responses to characterize size-dependent toxicity mechanisms.
Nanoplastics Induce More Serious Microbiota Dysbiosis and Inflammation in the Gut of Adult Zebrafish than Microplastics
Researchers compared the effects of microplastics and nanoplastics on the gut health of adult zebrafish and found that nanoplastics caused significantly more severe disruption to gut microbial communities and inflammation. Even at low concentrations, nanoplastics altered the abundance of beneficial and harmful gut bacteria more dramatically than larger microplastic particles. The study suggests that smaller plastic particles may pose greater risks to digestive health due to their ability to penetrate tissues more easily.
Key mechanisms of micro- and nanoplastic (MNP) toxicity across taxonomic groups
This review examines the key ways micro- and nanoplastics cause biological harm across different types of organisms, from bacteria to humans. Researchers identified several common toxicity mechanisms including cell membrane damage, reactive oxygen species generation, DNA damage, and disruption of cellular structures like lysosomes and mitochondria. The study found that toxicity depends heavily on particle size, surface characteristics, and polymer type, and that human cell studies provide especially valuable insights into potential health risks.
Different effects of nano- and microplastics on oxidative status and gut microbiota in the marine medaka Oryzias melastigma
Researchers compared the effects of nanoplastics and microplastics on oxidative stress and gut microbiota in marine medaka fish. They found that nanoplastics caused more severe oxidative damage and greater disruption to the gut microbial community than larger microplastic particles. The study suggests that particle size plays a critical role in determining the biological impact of plastic pollution on aquatic organisms.
Size-Dependent Internalization of Microplastics and Nanoplastics Using In Vitro Model of the Human Intestine—Contribution of Each Cell in the Tri-Culture Models
Using a lab model of the human intestine, researchers showed that smaller plastic nanoparticles (50 nm) crossed the gut lining more easily than larger ones, with specialized immune-sensing cells playing a key role in uptake. The particles that got through could potentially enter the bloodstream. This study helps explain how the tiniest plastic particles in food and water might get inside the human body.
Exposure to Polypropylene Microplastics via Oral Ingestion Induces Colonic Apoptosis and Intestinal Barrier Damage through Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in Mice
Researchers gave mice polypropylene microplastics (smaller than 10 micrometers) by mouth for 28 days and found significant damage to the colon, including inflammation, destruction of the gut barrier, and increased cell death. The smaller particles caused more severe damage than larger ones, triggering an inflammatory pathway that broke down the protective lining of the intestine. This is one of the first studies on polypropylene, the most common plastic found in human tissue, showing it can damage the gut at sizes small enough to be absorbed by the body.