Comprehensive MS data uncover aged microplastics transformations in human serum
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Published on: June 13, 2025
Olga V Kuznetsova1, Andrei R Timerbaev2
1Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russian Federation.
Background:
Microplastics (MPs) are currently the focus of scrupulous international action as persistent man-made pollutants. Upon entering the body, MPs interact with proteins to form a biocorona that influences their biological fate and toxicity.
Results:
Here, we incubated real-world MPs, collected from different marine environments, with human serum and used three complementary MS setups to (i) assess the protein-binding kinetics; (ii) identify the major proteins dominating the corona; and (iii) assess the depletion of minor metal-containing proteins due to attachment to MPs. The results of isotopic ratio MS analysis showed definite time-dependent isotopic alterations of MPs related to corona formation. Using MS-based proteomics revealed fundamental similarities in the corona compositions of seawater and sedimentary MPs exposed to human serum. According to metal-specific ICP-sector field MS measurements, the bio-MP interactions involve a substantial proportion of copper in the serum proteome (>30%) and may thereby induce a notable disruption of its homeostasis and functions.
Significance:
This study proves the importance of profiling human serum proteins in MP coronas and suggests that binding of low-abundance metal-containing proteins may modulate their biological functions.
