Cytotoxic Effects of Polystyrene Nanoplastics with Adsorbed Propranolol
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Keywords
Polystyrene Nanoplastics, HUVECs, Cytotoxicity, Propranolol, Vector
Department
Biology
Major
Biology
Abstract
Plastic pollution has become so prevalent in recent years that inhalable or ingestible plastic nanoparticles particles are ubiquitous in both indoor and outdoor environments. Once internalized these nanoplastics (NPs) can transverse both the epithelial and endothelial lung tissue layer and enter our bloodstream, potentially inducing cytotoxicity in multiple tissues. Furthermore, nanoplastics have been shown to be effective vectors for pharmaceutical pollutants within the environment. Drug carrying NPs may demonstrate synergistic effects with the NPs in affecting cellular function. Of the environmentally contaminating pharmaceuticals, the beta-blocker propranolol is of major concern because of the high levels consistently detected in river surface waters and wastewater effluents. This research focused on determining if polystyrene NPs contaminated with propranolol when taken up by primary Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVECs) could exhibit significant cytotoxic effects over either contaminant alone. HUVECs were exposed to; 2 ng mL-1 propranolol only, polystyrene NPs only, or polystyrene NPs soaked in a highly concentrated solution of propranolol (50 ng mL-1). Treated HUVECs were assessed on cell proliferation, mitochondrial degradation, and reactive oxygen species production. Overall, the soaked nanoplastics did not induce any significant cytotoxic effects; relative to other treatments or the controls. These results suggest that at current environmental levels of NPs and propranolol there may be little or no physiological effects on endothelial cells. This does not rule out the potential for long term chronic exposure effects which should be investigated.
Faculty Mentor
Thomas L. Vandergon
Funding Source or Research Program
Summer Undergraduate Research in Biology
Presentation Session
Session A
Location
Black Family Plaza Classroom 188
Start Date
25-3-2022 4:00 PM
End Date
25-3-2022 4:15 PM
Cytotoxic Effects of Polystyrene Nanoplastics with Adsorbed Propranolol
Black Family Plaza Classroom 188
Plastic pollution has become so prevalent in recent years that inhalable or ingestible plastic nanoparticles particles are ubiquitous in both indoor and outdoor environments. Once internalized these nanoplastics (NPs) can transverse both the epithelial and endothelial lung tissue layer and enter our bloodstream, potentially inducing cytotoxicity in multiple tissues. Furthermore, nanoplastics have been shown to be effective vectors for pharmaceutical pollutants within the environment. Drug carrying NPs may demonstrate synergistic effects with the NPs in affecting cellular function. Of the environmentally contaminating pharmaceuticals, the beta-blocker propranolol is of major concern because of the high levels consistently detected in river surface waters and wastewater effluents. This research focused on determining if polystyrene NPs contaminated with propranolol when taken up by primary Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVECs) could exhibit significant cytotoxic effects over either contaminant alone. HUVECs were exposed to; 2 ng mL-1 propranolol only, polystyrene NPs only, or polystyrene NPs soaked in a highly concentrated solution of propranolol (50 ng mL-1). Treated HUVECs were assessed on cell proliferation, mitochondrial degradation, and reactive oxygen species production. Overall, the soaked nanoplastics did not induce any significant cytotoxic effects; relative to other treatments or the controls. These results suggest that at current environmental levels of NPs and propranolol there may be little or no physiological effects on endothelial cells. This does not rule out the potential for long term chronic exposure effects which should be investigated.