Plastic has a troubling effect on our environment, and perhaps even our health, with the tiniest pieces of it linked to changes in brain proteins associated with certain types of dementia, including Parkinson’s disease. It is now known that.
A team led by researchers at Duke University in the US investigated the relationship between proteins and nanoplastics degraded from polystyrene. alpha-synuclein.
The accumulation of abnormal forms of this protein was previously observed Inside the brain of a Parkinson’s disease patient.
“Parkinson’s disease is said to be the fastest growing neurological disease in the world.” To tell Andrew West, a neurobiologist at Duke University and senior author.
“Although there is a wealth of data suggesting that environmental factors may play an important role in Parkinson’s disease, few such factors have been identified.”
The presence of plastic attracted abnormally large clumps of alpha-synuclein in three experiments: in solution, in cells grown in the lab, and in mice genetically engineered to develop Parkinson’s-like symptoms. Ta.
Of particular interest was the strong chemical bond formed between the polystyrene nanoparticles and the alpha-synuclein protein. cell lysosomewhere waste disposal takes place.
There is evidence here that plastic interferes with the natural cleaning process of neurons, which is again indicative of Parkinson’s disease and similar diseases.
Before we get too far ahead, it’s important to note that these are still early discoveries and have not yet been tested in humans. The relationship between nanoplastics and α-synuclein is not yet clear, nor is the relationship between α-synuclein assembly and dementia.
It’s worth noting that alpha-synuclein is thought to play an important role in keeping neurons in the brain healthy. Problems only occur when alpha-synuclein becomes distorted or misfolded. However, determining whether this is a cause or a symptom of a disease like Parkinson’s disease has proven difficult.
What this study shows is that nanoplastics affect protein levels. The next step is to look more closely. This may require new technologies that can better monitor plastic levels and their chemical interactions at the smallest scales.
What we already know is that most of us I already carry it around Microscopic plastic particles in our blood. Understanding how it affects our health will be an important area of research in the coming years.
“Microplastic and nanoplastic contaminants are being rigorously evaluated for their potential impact on cancer and autoimmune diseases.” To tell “The significant nature of the interactions that we were able to observe in our model suggests the need to assess the increased impact of nanoplastic pollutants on the risk and progression of Parkinson’s disease and dementia,” West said.
This study scientific progress.
