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Intermittent fasting exacerbates microplastic-induced gut inflammation via Rikenella-mediated regulation of purine metabolism and Th17/Treg balance
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In mice, combining intermittent fasting with microplastic exposure made gut inflammation worse, not better — the fasting seemed to disrupt gut bacteria and metabolism in ways that fueled inflammation rather than easing it. This suggests that popular diet strategies like intermittent fasting might not have the same benefits (or could even backfire) in a world where we're constantly exposed to microplastics, and more research is needed before assuming fasting is universally good for gut health.
The pervasive accumulation of microplastics (MPs) in ecosystems and human bodies has prompted growing concern regarding their biological effects. However, whether intermittent fasting (IF) modulates MP-induced gut injury remains unclear. We established a murine model of chronic oral exposure to 1 μm polystyrene MPs combined with a daily 8-h feeding window. Multi-omics analyses, including 16S rRNA sequencing, untargeted metabolomics, and immune profiling, were performed. In a murine model of chronic oral exposure to 1 μm polystyrene microplastics, IF aggravated colonic inflammation and oxidative stress. 16S rRNA sequencing showed that IF further altered the microplastic-associated gut microbiota, notably reducing Rikenella abundance. Untargeted metabolomics revealed disrupted purine metabolism, including decreased hypoxanthine levels, which positively correlated with Rikenella. Combined MP and IF exposure was associated with an increased Th17/Treg ratio. Supplementation with Rikenella or hypoxanthine partially attenuated inflammatory changes. These findings unveil a previously unappreciated risk of IF under conditions of environmental microplastic exposure, and highlight the necessity of integrating environmental toxicants into evaluations of dietary interventions.
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Microplastics as Microbiota Modulators: Rewiring the Gut Metabolism Immune Axis.
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This review summarizes existing research on how microplastics may affect gut bacteria, the gut's protective lining, and digestive chemical signals, mostly based on animal and lab cell studies. These changes were linked to inflammation and disrupted metabolism in those studies, but human evidence remains limited, and researchers call for more standardized studies.
Microplastic exposure and obesity-related metabolic dysfunction: A proposed gut microbiota-metabolite framework.
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This review paper summarizes existing research on how microplastics eaten with food might affect gut bacteria, gut lining health, and body fat in animal studies and lab cell experiments. It suggests microplastics could disrupt gut microbes and cause inflammation linked to obesity-related problems, but notes gaps in long-term testing and uncertainty about applying findings across species.
Microplastic's effects on gene expression and microflora of mice colon in health and acute colitis
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Mice that drank water with microplastic particles for six weeks showed changes in their gut lining and gut bacteria — in healthy mice, the gut seemed to adapt by boosting protective processes, but in mice with induced colon inflammation, microplastics actually weakened some of the gut's defensive responses. This suggests that microplastic exposure could make an already-inflamed gut less able to protect itself, raising concerns about its role in worsening conditions like inflammatory bowel disease in people who already have gut issues.
Oral exposure to polyethylene microplastics of adult male mice fed a normal or western-style diet: impact on gut and gut-liver axis homeostasis
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Researchers orally exposed adult male mice to polyethylene microplastics under both normal and high-fat diets, assessing effects on the gastrointestinal tract. The study found that diet influences microplastic-induced gut changes, with greater effects observed in animals fed a western-style high-fat diet.
Effects of frying on microplastics load in fish and implications on health
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Researchers investigated the effects of polyethylene microplastics on gut microbiota composition in mice fed a high-fat diet, finding that microplastic exposure altered microbial diversity and increased gut permeability. Co-exposure with a high-fat diet amplified metabolic disruption.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.