Polystyrene Nanoplastics Induce Neutrophil Extracellular Traps in Mice Neutrophils
Abstract
With growing applications of plastic products, there is a growing threat to human health. Therefore, it is important to understand their toxicological behaviors. The release of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) was clarified as a new immune defense mechanism against intruders. Here, we discovered that polystyrene nanoplastics (PS NPs) induce NET formation, with involvement of reactive oxygen species, peptidyl arginine deiminase 4 (PAD4), and neutrophil elastase. Moreover, overexpression of PAD4 induced by PS NPs further mediates histone citrullination and chromatin depolymerization. These results provide important information and promising strategies for safety and immunotoxicity assessment of NPs.
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The impact of polystyrene nanoparticles on zebrafish embryonic development, particularly erythropoiesis, remains underexplored.
“their impact on zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryonic development, particularly erythropoiesis, remains underexplored”
From Deciphering the toxic effects of polystyrene nanoparticles on erythropoiesis at single-cell resolution (2025) · cites this paper as Zhu et al., 2022
Cites
Infection-induced NETosis is a dynamic process involving neutrophil multitasking in vivo
Yipp, B. G., Petri, B., Salina, D., Jenne, C. N., Scott, B. N. V., Zbytnuik, L. D., Pittman, K., Asaduzzaman, M., Wu, K., Meijndert, H. C., et al. (2012) · Nature Medicine · doi:10.1038/nm.2847 · Cited by 1,169 · see citing works
Nanoplastics are neither microplastics nor engineered nanoparticles
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Self-citationKolaczkowska, E., Jenne, C. N., Surewaard, B. G. J., Thanabalasuriar, A., Lee, W.-Y., Sanz, M.-J., Mowen, K., Opdenakker, G., & Kubes, P. (2015) · Nature Communications · doi:10.1038/ncomms7673 · Cited by 584 · see citing works
Micro- and nanoplastic induced cellular toxicity in mammals: A review
Banerjee, A., & Shelver, W. L. (2021) · Science of The Total Environment · doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142518 · Cited by 492 · see citing works
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Eun, J. K., Medical Research Institute, P. N. U., Medical Research Institute, P. N. U., Hyeon, M. S., Hansong, L., Soyul, A., Yejin, K., Chae, R. L., Kihun, K., Kyungjae, M., et al. (2025) · Zoological Research · doi:10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2024.277 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
- Authors
- Zhu, X., Peng, L., Song, E., & Song, Y.
- Affiliations
- Southwest University (CN)
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 18 Shuangqing Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100085, China
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)
- Corresponding author
- Song, Yang
- Venue
- Chemical Research in Toxicology
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society (ACS)
- Published
- 2022-01-21
- Volume
- 35
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 378-382
- ISSN
- 0893-228X (ISSN-L)
- 1520-5010
- OpenAlex
- W4206247579
- Cited by
- 36
- References
- 5
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 4
- FWCI
- 1.78
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- Locations
- Chemical Research in Toxicology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China (21976145, 22176206)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
- Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Neutrophil, Myeloperoxidase and Oxidative Mechanisms
- Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Immunotoxicology and immune responses
- Keywords
- polystyrene nanoparticles, nanoplastics, neutrophil extracellular traps, neutrophils, immunotoxicity, reactive oxygen species, PAD4, neutrophil elastase, histone citrullination
- MeSH terms
- Protein-Arginine Deiminase Type 4, Microplastics, Animals, Neutrophils, Polystyrenes, Mice, Extracellular Traps
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