2023-11-02 16:00:26
Nanoplastics dangerous for bones: they alter the delicate balance and relationship between the cells that populate the bone microenvironment, an activity that could cause greater susceptibility to develop diseases related to bone impoverishment. This is the conclusion of an Italian study published in ‘Science Direct – Journal of Hazardous Materials’, the result of a collaboration between Lavinia Casati, researcher in General Pathology at the Department of Health Sciences of the State University of Milan, the Pathology Laboratory general coordinated by Raffaella Chiaramonte, professor of General Pathology at UniMi, and other groups including the team of Marco Parolini, professor of Ecology of the Department of Environmental Sciences and Policies, the scientists of the Department of Medical Biotechnologies and Translational Medicine of the Milanese University and the University of Parma.
Plastic – they recall from the Milanese university – is the material that most characterizes our era. The incorrect management of plastic waste has in fact led to a massive accumulation of plastic objects in the environment, which, following the degradation and fragmentation associated with chemical, physical and biological processes, give rise to micro and nanoplastics. The latter represent one of the most recent categories of emerging contaminants, whose distribution in the environment and whose effects on living beings are largely unknown.
“To date there are few studies relating to the effects induced by exposure to nanoplastics on ecotoxicological models and even fewer studies on humans”, explains Casati, last author and corresponding author of the research. Hence the work that “allowed us to describe the action of these contaminants on bone, using an in vitro model that could provide us with a broad-spectrum view”.
To take a photograph of the bone microenvironment – a note details – the scientists focused on the three main cell types involved in the maintenance of bone mass: the precursors of osteoblasts, i.e. the cells that lay down bone; osteocytes, considered the controllers of the bone remodeling process; the precursors of osteoclasts, i.e. the cells that degrade bone.
The researchers exposed these cultured cells to fluorescent nanoplastics measuring 50 nanometers in size, verifying their actual entry into the cell and their localization through imaging and flow cytometry techniques. Nanoplastics were found to be able to enter cells both actively and passively, and to localize at the cytoplasmic level. The toxicological aspects were then evaluated using enzymatic and colorimetric assays and functional parameters. It has thus been observed that nanoplastics reduce the vitality of cells, increase their death and induce the formation of free radicals. Furthermore, at a functional level, nanoplastics alter the migratory capacity of osteoblasts and enhance the resorption induced by osteoclasts. Finally, to better describe the effect of nanoplastics at the molecular level, the impact on the expression of genes involved in the maintenance of bone mass was analysed. The authors highlighted an involvement of genes related to the triggering of inflammatory processes in osteoblast precursors and osteocytes, and an induction of genes involved in the differentiation processes of osteoclasts.
“Although further studies will be necessary to better delineate the complex interrelationship between nanoplastics and bone remodeling at the level of human health – comments Casati – this study allows us to begin to explore new horizons inherent to environmental contaminants and their impact on humans” .
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