Evidence from in vitro and in vivo studies on the potential health repercussions of micro- and nanoplastics

González-Acedo, Anabel; García-Recio, Enrique; Illescas‐Montes, Rebeca; Ramos‐Torrecillas, Javier; Melguizo‐Rodríguez, Lucia; Costela‐Ruiz, Víctor J.

doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.130826

Cited by 56 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 54 publications

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“…7 Recent animal studies have shown that ingested or inhaled MNPs can translocate across pulmonary and intestinal cell barriers to secondary organs, including placental and fetal tissues. 8 – 11 Moreover, epidemiological research indicates that fine particles (

) from air pollution can reach the placenta in situ and increase the risk of pregnancy complications such as gestational diabetes and preeclampsia, 12 , 13 preterm birth, or low birth weight. 14 These findings have raised concerns for potential adverse health effects of placental MNP exposure during pregnancy, a period of heightened vulnerability when even subtle environmental insults can have long-lasting effects on fetal development and health later in life.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Uptake, Transport, and Toxicity of Pristine and Weathered Micro- and Nanoplastics in Human Placenta Cells

Dusza

Katrukha

Nijmeijer

et al. 2022

Environ Health Perspect

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Background: The first evidence of micro- and nanoplastic (MNP) exposure in the human placenta is emerging. However, the toxicokinetics and toxicity of MNPs in the placenta, specifically environmentally relevant particles, remain unclear. Objectives: We examined the transport, uptake, and toxicity of pristine and experimentally weathered MNPs in nonsyncytialized and syncytialized BeWo b30 choriocarcinoma cells. Methods: We performed untargeted chemical characterization of pristine and weathered MNPs using liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry to evaluate compositional differences following particle weathering. We investigated cellular internalization of pristine and weathered polystyrene (PS; ) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE; ) particles using high-resolution confocal imaging and three-dimensional rendering. We investigated the influence of particle coating with human plasma on the cellular transport of PS particles using a transwell setup and examined the influence of acute MNP exposure on cell viability, damage to the plasma membrane, and expression of genes involved in steroidogenesis. Results: Chemical characterization of MNPs showed a significantly higher number of unique features in pristine particles in comparison with weathered particles. Size-dependent placental uptake of pristine and weathered MNPs was observed in both placental cell types after 24 h exposure. Cellular transport was limited and size-dependent and was not influenced by particle coating with human plasma. None of the MNPs affected cell viability. Damage to the plasma membrane was observed only for PS particles in the nonsyncytialized cells at the highest concentration tested ( ). Modest down-regulation of hsd17b1 was observed in syncytialized cells exposed to pristine MNPs. Discussion: Our results suggest that pristine and weathered MNPs are internalized and translocated in placental cells in vitro . Effects on gene expression observed upon pristine PS and HDPE particle exposure warrant further examination. More in-depth investigations are needed to better understand the potential health risks of MNP and chemicals associated with them under environmentally relevant exposure scenarios. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP10873

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Uptake, Transport, and Toxicity of Pristine and Weathered Micro- and Nanoplastics in Human Placenta Cells

Dusza

Katrukha

Nijmeijer

et al. 2022

Environ Health Perspect

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“…With increased awareness of the prevalence of microplastics in many of the environments with which humans are in direct and intimate contact, research has shifted from analysis of fish and invertebrates to mammalian animal models and cell lines. Among these, in vivo studies have revealed disruptions of gut homeostasis (Choi et al 2021b ; Liang et al 2021 ), increased reactive oxygen species generation and inflammation (Ijaz et al 2021 ), genotoxicity and lipotoxicity (Deng et al 2017 ; Gonzalez-Acedo et al 2021 ), and exacerbated bone resorption (Markel et al 2009 ). In vitro experiments (often using human or rodent cell lines) have similarly demonstrated the adverse effects of microplastics, including immune cell activation (Pearl et al 2011 ), inflammatory cytokine release (Schirinzi et al 2017 ), bone resorption activity (Zhang et al 2008 ), decreased survival (Van Tienhoven et al 2006 ), cytostructural perturbations and neurotoxicity (Gonzalez-Acedo et al 2021 ), and loss of phenotypic cellular behaviors (Lee et al 2021 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Polystyrene and Polyethylene Microplastics Decrease Cell Viability and Dysregulate Inflammatory and Oxidative Stress Markers of MDCK and L929 Cells In Vitro

2021

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Microplastics are ubiquitous environmental pollutants that are a growing concern to many ecosystems, as well as human health. Many of the effects of microplastics on mammalian cells and tissues remain unknown. To address this, we treated L929 murine fibroblasts and Madin–Darby canine kidney (MDCK) epithelial cell lines with 1 μg/mL, 10 μg/mL, or 20 μg/mL of polyethylene (PE) or polystyrene (PS) microspheres in vitro for 6 and 24 h and measured the resulting changes in cell viability, metabolism, and transcriptional expression of inflammatory cytokines and antioxidant enzymes. We observed dose-dependent decreases in cell viability corresponding to increases in doses of both PE and PS. We conducted cell metabolism assays and observed dose-dependent increases in metabolism per cell with increasing doses of both PE and PS. Similarly, we also observed increased expression of the superoxide dismutase-3 gene ( SOD3 ), indicating oxidative stress caused by the microplastics treatments. We also observed increased expression of TNFα , but decreased expression of IFNβ , suggesting different mechanisms by which the microplastics regulate inflammatory responses in mammalian cells. Our results contribute new data to the growing understanding of the effects of microplastics on mammalian cells and indicate complex cellular stress responses to microplastics in the environment.

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“…When compared to MPs and large plastic particles, NPs have distinct properties that exacerbate their toxicity. They have substantially smaller sizes (on the same scale as macromolecules and organelles), faster rates of tissue infiltration, and the ability to cross biological barriers, for example [31,32]. As discussed below, these characteristics are crucial when examining the mechanisms of toxicity and negative impacts of NPs on aquatic organisms.…”

Section: Plastics Breakdown and Small Plastic Particles: Mps And Nps ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Nanoplastics in Aquatic Environments: Impacts on Aquatic Species and Interactions with Environmental Factors and Pollutants

Trevisan

Ranasinghe

Jayasundara

et al. 2022

Toxics

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Plastic production began in the early 1900s and it has transformed our way of life. Despite the many advantages of plastics, a massive amount of plastic waste is generated each year, threatening the environment and human health. Because of their pervasiveness and potential for health consequences, small plastic residues produced by the breakdown of larger particles have recently received considerable attention. Plastic particles at the nanometer scale (nanoplastics) are more easily absorbed, ingested, or inhaled and translocated to other tissues and organs than larger particles. Nanoplastics can also be transferred through the food web and between generations, have an influence on cellular function and physiology, and increase infections and disease susceptibility. This review will focus on current research on the toxicity of nanoplastics to aquatic species, taking into account their interactive effects with complex environmental mixtures and multiple stressors. It intends to summarize the cellular and molecular effects of nanoplastics on aquatic species; discuss the carrier effect of nanoplastics in the presence of single or complex environmental pollutants, pathogens, and weathering/aging processes; and include environmental stressors, such as temperature, salinity, pH, organic matter, and food availability, as factors influencing nanoplastic toxicity. Microplastics studies were also included in the discussion when the data with NPs were limited. Finally, this review will address knowledge gaps and critical questions in plastics’ ecotoxicity to contribute to future research in the field.

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Evidence from in vitro and in vivo studies on the potential health repercussions of micro- and nanoplastics

Cited by 56 publications

References 54 publications

Uptake, Transport, and Toxicity of Pristine and Weathered Micro- and Nanoplastics in Human Placenta Cells

Uptake, Transport, and Toxicity of Pristine and Weathered Micro- and Nanoplastics in Human Placenta Cells

Polystyrene and Polyethylene Microplastics Decrease Cell Viability and Dysregulate Inflammatory and Oxidative Stress Markers of MDCK and L929 Cells In Vitro

Nanoplastics in Aquatic Environments: Impacts on Aquatic Species and Interactions with Environmental Factors and Pollutants

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