Label-Free Quantification of Nanoplastic-Cell Membrane Interaction by Single Cell Deformation Plasmonic Imaging

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Cell Biology
• Biophysics

Background:

• Nanoplastics pose environmental risks by potentially disrupting cellular functions.
• Understanding nanoplastic-cell membrane interactions is vital for assessing biological effects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and apply a label-free imaging technique for quantifying nanoplastic-cell membrane interactions in real-time.
• To investigate how nanoplastic properties influence their binding and cellular effects.

Main Methods:

• Single Cell Deformation Plasmonic Imaging (SCDPI) was used to measure membrane dynamics.
• Both fixed and live cells were analyzed to characterize nanoplastic binding.
• Nanoplastics of varying sizes, surface chemistries, and materials were tested.

Main Results:

• Nanoplastic binding induced cell membrane deformations from nanometers to tens of nanometers.
• Deformation varied based on nanoplastic type, concentration (0-250 μg/mL), and material.
• Membrane-surface interactions were significantly influenced by nanoplastic binding.

Conclusions:

• SCDPI provides mechanistic insights into nanoplastic-cell interactions.
• The study highlights SCDPI as a valuable tool for evaluating cellular impacts of environmental pollutants like nanoplastics.