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Microplastic's effects on gene expression and microflora of mice colon in health and acute colitis
Original title: Microplastic’s effects on gene expression and microflora of mice colon in health and acute colitis
Summary
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.
Due to the growing microplastic (MP) pollution of the environment, the problem of MP impact on human health is relevant. MP is considered to contribute to the development of infl ammatory bowel diseases. Therefore, we assessed the eff ect of long-term MP consumption on the expression of genes associated with the colon barrier function and on the luminal microfl ora composition in healthy mice and those with acute colitis. The eff ect of MP was modeled by replacing drinking water with a 10 mg/l suspension of 5 µm polystyrene particles for 6 weeks. To model acute colitis, 1% sodium dextran sulfate was added to the drinking water from day 36 to day 40 of the experiment. In healthy mice, MP caused an increase in the mRNA expression of transmembrane mucin Muc3 , tight junction proteins Cldn4 and Cldn7 , pro-apoptotic factor Bax , and anti-apoptotic factor Bcl2 , which generally indicates the activation of synthetic processes in the intestinal epithelium. This is an adaptive response. An increase in the representation of the genus Aestuariispira was observed in the microfl ora. In colitis with MP consumption, in comparison to colitis without MP, the mRNA expression of Cldn4 and Bax , and the Bax / Bcl2 ratio were lower, and expression of Muc13 was higher. The content of bacteria from 24 genera in the microfl ora diff ered.