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bioRxiv · 10.64898/2026.04.03.716369

Cell-nanoplastics association impacts cell proliferationand motility

Ni, Q.·Ma, J.·Fu, J.·Thompson, L.·Ge, Z.·Sharif, D.·Zhu, Y.·Mao, H.-Q.·Phillip, J. M.·Sun, S.
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Abstract

Detection of micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) in human tissues has raised growing concern about their biological effects on tissue and cell function. While previous studies have examined MNP-cell interaction, most focused on limited cell and plastic types. Here, we present a comprehensive, quantitative investigation into how different types of nanoplastics (NPs) associate with and affect diverse cell types under physiologically relevant conditions. Using microfluidic-calibrated fluorescence microscopy, we quantify NP accumulation in cells in vitro and match cellular NP concentrations to levels reported in human tissues. While cell-associated NPs could be gradually released in vitro, they persist in vivo for over one month without detectable reduction in a mouse model. We discover that NP exposure at these levels broadly impairs cell proliferation across epithelial, endothelial, fibroblast, and immune cells, with cell type-dependent sensitivity. NP exposure also reduces motility in T cells and fibroblasts, with more complex effects observed in macrophages. Mechanistically, NP-cell association and trans-epithelial transport involved not only classical endocytic regulators but also pathways related to ion and water transport. Notably, NP association and release were highly sensitive to the extracellular fluid environment within the physiological range. By testing inhibitors of these pathways, we identified molecules that reduce NP-cell association and promote release. We further compared common NPs found in human samples and widely used in research: polystyrene (PS), polyethylene (PE), and polypropylene (PP). Although these NPs similarly impaired proliferation and motility, they showed markedly different cellular association and release dynamics. These findings reveal the impact of NPs on tissue cell functions and uncover novel regulatory pathways, establishing a quantitative framework for studying NP-cell interactions in biologically relevant conditions.

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Ni, Q., Ma, J., Fu, J., Thompson, L., Ge, Z., Sharif, D., Zhu, Y., Mao, H.-Q., Phillip, J. M., Sun, S.. 2026-04-07. Cell-nanoplastics association impacts cell proliferationand motility. https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.04.03.716369

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