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In vitro toxicity of polyethylene terephthalate nanoplastics (PET-NPs) in human hepatocarcinoma (HepG2) cell line

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Abstract

Objective

Nanoplastics (NPs) are consider as emerging persistent environmental pollutants. Widespread distribution of these nanoparticles is a global problem. However, their toxic effects in mammalian tissues and cells remain mainly unknown. This study aims to investigate the cytotoxicity of PET nanoplastics (PET-NPs) in the human hepatocarcinoma (HepG2) cell line.

Methods

Toxic effects after 72h of exposure to different concentrations of PET-NPs (10–500 µg/mL) were evaluated by morphological alterations, cell internalization, cell viability (MTT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assays, induction of oxidative stress (total antioxidant capacity, TAC), and genotoxicity (comet assay).

Results

Cell viability reduced at all treatment concentrations in a dose–response manner, and 616.7 µg/mL was determined as IC50. No cell membrane damages detected by LDH assay. TAC reduced significantly after 12 h exposure to > 400 μg/mL PET-NPs. Dose-dependent DNA damages were observed after 72 h.

Conclusion

These findings indicated that PET-NPs have significant cytotoxic effects, particularly on genotoxicity and induction of oxidative stress. The results obtained here showed a significant impact of PET-NPs at the tested concentrations suggest a potential impact on humans. Other studies are currently underway to confirm these toxic effects.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the Vice Chancellery for Research of the Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran. This research was supported by a grant from the Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (Grant No. 3400540).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Hezar-Jarib Avenue, Isfahan, 8174673661, Iran

    Zahra Manoochehri & Karim Ebrahimpour

  2. Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

    Mahmoud Etebari

  3. Ploufragan-Plouzané-Niort Laboratory, Fish Virology, Immunology and Ecotoxicology Unit, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety, Plouzané, France

    Pauline Pannetier

  4. Environment Research Center, Research Institute for Primordial Prevention of Non-Communicable Disease, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

    Karim Ebrahimpour

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  1. Zahra Manoochehri
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Correspondence to Karim Ebrahimpour.

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The proposal of the present study was reviewed and approved by the ethics committee of Isfahan university of medical sciences (Code: IR.MUI.RESEARCH.REC.1400.057).

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Manoochehri, Z., Etebari, M., Pannetier, P. et al. In vitro toxicity of polyethylene terephthalate nanoplastics (PET-NPs) in human hepatocarcinoma (HepG2) cell line. Toxicol. Environ. Health Sci. (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13530-024-00213-z

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