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Microplastics and Cancer Progression: A Comparative Study of 2D and 3D Gastric Cancer Models Using Iso[Sbnd]Compliant Protocols Publisher



Rafazi P1 ; Haghiaminjan H2 ; Bagheri Z1 ; Rahimifard M3
Authors
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Authors Affiliations
  1. 1. Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, 1983969411, Iran
  2. 2. Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran
  3. 3. Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran university of medical sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran

Source: Results in Engineering Published:2024


Abstract

Microplastics have emerged as a significant global environmental concern, yet the absence of standardized protocols for assessing their toxicity remains a challenge. To address this gap, we applied the ISO 10,993–5:2009 and ISO 10,993–12:2012 standards for the first time to evaluate the effects of microplastics on cancer progression. Our study utilized both two-dimensional and three-dimensional models of gastric cancer to investigate the potential role of microplastics in promoting cancer growth. The MTT assay results revealed that the highest concentrations of polyethylene microplastics (PE-MPs) and polypropylene microplastics (PP-MPs) enhanced the proliferation of gastric cancer cells at both 24 and 72 h. After 24 h, AGS cells treated with PE-MPs and PP-MPs exhibited increased viability, reaching 116.08 % ± 15.55 and 118.78 % ± 13.96, respectively; however, this increase was not statistically significant. In contrast, after 72 h, AGS cells showed significantly enhanced growth, with viability reaching 122.37 % ± 9.28 for PE-MPs and 131.51 % ± 3.05 for PP-MPs (p < 0.001). In the three-dimensional model, live/dead staining results after seven days indicated that spheroids exposed to microplastics demonstrated greater cell survival compared to the control group. The percentage area growth of spheroids was 7.93 % ± 1.5 for the control, 13.93 % ± 4.85 for PE-MPs, and 19.59 % ± 1.61 for PP-MPs, with the increase in PP-MPs being statistically significant (p < 0.05). Additionally, microplastics did not penetrate the three-dimensional gastric cancer within seven days. This research highlights the potential impact of microplastics on cancer development and introduces a novel methodological approach. © 2024