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Combined Exposure to Copper Sulfate and Polystyrene Microplastics Alters Intestinal Microbiota Structure and Induces Barrier Damage in Male Mice
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Mice exposed to both copper and microplastics together (a common combo, since copper pipes and plastic packaging both contaminate food and water) had more gut damage than mice exposed to either one alone — their intestinal lining weakened, "leaky gut" proteins dropped, and harmful gut bacteria increased while beneficial ones declined. This suggests that everyday combinations of environmental contaminants might harm gut health more than scientists get by studying pollutants one at a time, though more research is needed to confirm this applies to humans.
This study explores the intestinal toxicity of combined copper sulfate (Cu) and polystyrene microplastics (PS) exposure in male mice.Histopathological examination, intestinal barrier function assessment, 16S rRNA sequencing, and transcriptome analysis were performed to explore the underlying mechanisms.The results showed that combined exposure significantly decreased ileal villus height, aggravated tissue damage, and evidently suppressed the synthesis of tight junction structural proteins, including claudin, ZO-1, and occludin.Analysis of 16S rRNA sequencing indicated that combined exposure markedly altered intestinal microbial structure, leading to a reduction of beneficial bacteria, enrichment of inflammationrelated bacteria, and significant intestinal flora remodeling.Transcriptome profiling identified a total of 4026 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the co-exposure group, with 3226 specific DEGs, which was significantly higher than that in the single exposure groups.Functional enrichment analyses based on GO and KEGG databases demonstrated that DEGs were mainly involved in inflammation-associated signaling pathways.Among these were antigen presentation, IgA immune network, development and differentiation of T cells, and NOD-like receptor signaling axis.In conclusion, combined exposure to Cu and PS exerts obvious combined effects on intestinal flora disturbance and intestinal barrier damage in mice.
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When nanoplastics and copper were combined, they caused significantly worse intestinal damage in zebrafish and human gut cells than either pollutant alone. The nanoplastics carried extra copper into the digestive tract, triggering inflammation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage, and harmful shifts in gut bacteria -- showing how microplastics can act as vehicles that amplify heavy metal toxicity in the gut.
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Researchers co-exposed rats to environmentally relevant doses of methylmercury and 5-µm polystyrene microplastics for eight weeks, finding that combined exposure caused greater gut barrier disruption, dysbiosis, oxidative stress, and systemic inflammation than either contaminant alone — with the intestine emerging as an early and sensitive target.
Microplastics and Copper Co-Exposure Induces Intestinal Damage, Gut Dysbiosis, and Antimicrobial Resistance in Zebrafish (Danio rerio)
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Researchers exposed adult zebrafish to polyethylene and polystyrene microplastics alone or combined with copper for 21 days, finding that copper drove severe intestinal damage and multidrug resistance in gut bacteria, while microplastics played a modulatory role — and the combination promoted novel antibiotic resistance gene combinations with One Health implications.
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