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Nanoplastic exposure affects the intestinal microbiota of adult Drosophila flies
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Using fruit flies as a model organism, researchers found that nanoplastic exposure significantly altered gut bacteria composition, shifting the balance toward potentially harmful species. The changes in gut microbiota were linked to signs of intestinal stress and inflammation. Since fruit fly gut bacteria share similarities with human gut microbiota, these findings suggest that nanoplastic ingestion could disrupt the gut microbiome in ways that may affect digestion and immune function in humans.
Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPLs) are emerging environmental pollutants that have garnered significant attention over the past few decades due to their detrimental effects on human health through various exposure pathways. This study investigates the impact of MNPLs on gut microbiota, utilizing Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism. Drosophila was selected for its microbiota's similarities to humans and its established role as an accessible and well-characterized model system. To analyze microbiota, full-length 16S rRNA gene sequencing was performed using the Nanopore sequencing platform, enabling comprehensive profiling of the microbial populations present in the samples. As models of MNPLs, two commercial polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPLs, 61.20 and 415.22 nm) and one lab-made polylactic acid nanoplastic (PLA-NPLs, 463.90 nm) were selected. As a positive control, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) were used. The observed findings revealed that exposure to MNPLs induced notable alterations in gut microbiota, including a reduction in bacterial abundance and shifts in species composition. These results suggest that MNPLs exposure can lead to microbial dysbiosis and potential gut health disruptions through its interaction, either with the gut epithelial barrier or directly with the resident microorganisms.
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Researchers investigated how micro- and nanoplastics disrupt gut barrier function in mice, finding that different surface chemistries caused varying levels of damage. The study suggests that these plastic particles harm the gut by altering the gut microbiome, which then leads to inflammation and weakening of the intestinal barrier that normally keeps harmful substances out of the body.
Metabolic effects of dietary exposure to polystyrene microplastic and nanoplastic in fruit flies
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Researchers used fruit flies as a model organism to study the metabolic effects of ingesting polystyrene microplastic and nanoplastic particles at environmentally relevant doses. They found that both particle sizes disrupted metabolic processes, with nanoplastics causing more pronounced changes in energy storage and lipid metabolism. The study suggests that dietary exposure to plastic particles, even at levels found in the environment, can meaningfully alter metabolic physiology.
Drosophila melanogaster as a tractable eco-environmental model to unravel the toxicity of micro- and nanoplastics
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This review summarizes research using fruit flies as a model to study how micro- and nanoplastics harm living organisms. Studies show these tiny plastic particles cause oxidative stress, inflammation, DNA damage, and reproductive problems in flies, with males being more vulnerable than females -- findings that may help us understand similar risks in humans.
The role of gut microbiota in MP/NP-induced toxicity
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This review summarizes how micro- and nanoplastics disrupt gut bacteria and why that matters for overall health. The tiny plastic particles change the composition and function of the gut microbiome, which can trigger inflammation, weaken the intestinal barrier, and potentially contribute to diseases beyond the gut through the immune and nervous systems.
Chronic nanoplastic exposure progressively disrupts immune-related traits across generations in Drosophila melanogaster
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Fruit flies were fed tiny plastic particles (nanoplastics) over ten generations. Egg-laying stayed normal, but immune responses weakened over time: certain infection-fighting genes were suppressed, immune cell types shifted, and flies became less able to fight off bacteria, with weaker effects seen from the fifth generation onward.
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