Interaction of polyethylene nanoplastics with the plasma, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, lysosome and endosome membranes: A molecular dynamics study
The pervasive presence of micro- and nanoplastics in the environment and their potential infiltration into the human body, has sparked significant concerns regarding their implications for human health. In this study, we utilized all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate the intera...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-09-01
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| Series: | Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651325010255 |
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| author | Limei Xu Zhenyu Ma Jingyi Zhu Zhuo Liu Yuyang Song Min Xiao Jian Li Xukai Jiang Lushan Wang |
| author_facet | Limei Xu Zhenyu Ma Jingyi Zhu Zhuo Liu Yuyang Song Min Xiao Jian Li Xukai Jiang Lushan Wang |
| author_sort | Limei Xu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The pervasive presence of micro- and nanoplastics in the environment and their potential infiltration into the human body, has sparked significant concerns regarding their implications for human health. In this study, we utilized all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate the interactions of polyethylene nanoplastics with various biological membranes, including those of the plasma, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, lysosomes, and endosomes. Informed by membrane lipidomics data from literature, we constructed biologically accurate structural models of these membranes. Our findings revealed that polyethylene nanoplastics interacted spontaneously with all the membranes examined. The interaction typically involved aggregation of polyethylene molecules into nanoparticles near the membrane surface, followed by adsorption, insertion, and eventual translocation into the hydrophobic core of the lipid bilayers. Through quantitative analysis of the dynamic behaviors and structural characteristics of the membranes, we observed that the insertion of polyethylene nanoplastics changed the lipid organization and inhibited membrane fluidity in most cases. These results shed light on the interactions between polyethylene nanoplastics and biological membranes, offering atomic-scale insights into the connection between nanoplastic cytotoxicity and membrane responses. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-237df0da3e6e4f54b34fb9ea013eba47 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0147-6513 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-09-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety |
| spelling | doaj-art-237df0da3e6e4f54b34fb9ea013eba472025-08-20T04:02:32ZengElsevierEcotoxicology and Environmental Safety0147-65132025-09-0130211868010.1016/j.ecoenv.2025.118680Interaction of polyethylene nanoplastics with the plasma, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, lysosome and endosome membranes: A molecular dynamics studyLimei Xu0Zhenyu Ma1Jingyi Zhu2Zhuo Liu3Yuyang Song4Min Xiao5Jian Li6Xukai Jiang7Lushan Wang8State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China; Suzhou Research Institute, Shandong University, Suzhou 215123, ChinaNational Glycoengineering Research Center, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, ChinaNational Glycoengineering Research Center, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, ChinaNational Glycoengineering Research Center, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, ChinaNational Glycoengineering Research Center, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, ChinaBiomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, AustraliaNational Glycoengineering Research Center, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China; Corresponding authors.State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China; Corresponding authors.The pervasive presence of micro- and nanoplastics in the environment and their potential infiltration into the human body, has sparked significant concerns regarding their implications for human health. In this study, we utilized all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate the interactions of polyethylene nanoplastics with various biological membranes, including those of the plasma, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, lysosomes, and endosomes. Informed by membrane lipidomics data from literature, we constructed biologically accurate structural models of these membranes. Our findings revealed that polyethylene nanoplastics interacted spontaneously with all the membranes examined. The interaction typically involved aggregation of polyethylene molecules into nanoparticles near the membrane surface, followed by adsorption, insertion, and eventual translocation into the hydrophobic core of the lipid bilayers. Through quantitative analysis of the dynamic behaviors and structural characteristics of the membranes, we observed that the insertion of polyethylene nanoplastics changed the lipid organization and inhibited membrane fluidity in most cases. These results shed light on the interactions between polyethylene nanoplastics and biological membranes, offering atomic-scale insights into the connection between nanoplastic cytotoxicity and membrane responses.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651325010255Polyethylene nanoplasticsBiological membranesMolecular dynamics simulations |
| spellingShingle | Limei Xu Zhenyu Ma Jingyi Zhu Zhuo Liu Yuyang Song Min Xiao Jian Li Xukai Jiang Lushan Wang Interaction of polyethylene nanoplastics with the plasma, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, lysosome and endosome membranes: A molecular dynamics study Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety Polyethylene nanoplastics Biological membranes Molecular dynamics simulations |
| title | Interaction of polyethylene nanoplastics with the plasma, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, lysosome and endosome membranes: A molecular dynamics study |
| title_full | Interaction of polyethylene nanoplastics with the plasma, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, lysosome and endosome membranes: A molecular dynamics study |
| title_fullStr | Interaction of polyethylene nanoplastics with the plasma, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, lysosome and endosome membranes: A molecular dynamics study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Interaction of polyethylene nanoplastics with the plasma, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, lysosome and endosome membranes: A molecular dynamics study |
| title_short | Interaction of polyethylene nanoplastics with the plasma, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, lysosome and endosome membranes: A molecular dynamics study |
| title_sort | interaction of polyethylene nanoplastics with the plasma endoplasmic reticulum golgi apparatus lysosome and endosome membranes a molecular dynamics study |
| topic | Polyethylene nanoplastics Biological membranes Molecular dynamics simulations |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651325010255 |
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