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Unveiling the systemic impact of airborne microplastics: Integrating breathomics and machine learning with dual-tissue transcriptomics
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Researchers developed a new non-invasive way to detect microplastic damage in mice by analyzing chemicals in their breath. When mice inhaled tiny polystyrene particles, the plastics caused inflammation in their lungs and injury to their hearts, with specific breath chemicals serving as warning signs. This approach could eventually help doctors detect microplastic-related health problems in people through a simple breath test.
Airborne microplastics (MPs) pose significant respiratory and systemic health risks upon inhalation; however, current assessment methods remain inadequate. This study integrates breathomics and transcriptomics to establish a non-invasive approach for evaluating MP-induced damage to the lungs and heart. C57BL/6 mice were exposed to polystyrene MPs (0.1 μm, 2 μm, and 10 μm), and their exhaled volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were analyzed using photoinduced associative ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Machine learning algorithms identified hydrogen sulfide, acetone, acrolein, propionitrile, and butyronitrile as key VOC biomarkers, linking MP exposure to oxidative stress and metabolic dysregulation. Transcriptomic analysis further revealed significant gene expression alterations in pulmonary and cardiac tissues, implicating immune dysregulation, metabolic disturbance, and cardiac dysfunction. Pathway enrichment analysis, supported by histological and immunohistochemical validation, confirmed pulmonary inflammation and cardiac injury. By integrating exhaled biomarker profiling with transcriptomic insights, this study advances non-invasive detection strategies for MP-related health effects, offering valuable prospects for public health monitoring and early diagnosis.
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Scientists used AI to predict how toxic different types of microplastics are to human lung cells, based on their chemical makeup. This matters because not all plastics are equally harmful, and this approach could help researchers flag risky plastics faster, without needing to test every single one in the lab.
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This systematic review summarizes research on how inhaled micro- and nanoplastics affect the lungs in animal studies. The findings show these particles can cause lung inflammation, tissue damage, and immune responses, suggesting that breathing in airborne microplastics may pose real risks to respiratory health.
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Researchers exposed both healthy and asthmatic mice to airborne microplastics and found significant lung inflammation, immune activation, and increased mucus production in both groups. Microplastic particles were taken up by immune cells called macrophages, and gene analysis revealed changes in immune response, cellular stress, and cell death pathways. The study suggests that inhaling microplastics may worsen respiratory health in both normal and vulnerable populations.
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Researchers exposed mice to polystyrene nanoplastics through the airway and found that the particles caused lung inflammation and tissue damage. Using metabolomics analysis, they discovered that the nanoplastics disrupted multiple metabolic pathways in lung tissue, with surface-modified particles causing more severe effects. The study provides evidence that inhaled nanoplastics can alter lung metabolism in ways that may contribute to respiratory health problems.
Characterisation of changes in global genes expression in the lung of ICR mice in response to the inflammation and fibrosis induced by polystyrene nanoplastics inhalation
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Researchers exposed mice to inhaled polystyrene nanoplastics for two weeks and used microarray analysis to identify 115 differentially expressed lung genes, with inflammation and fibrosis pathways significantly upregulated — findings that propose specific gene biomarkers for monitoring nanoplastic-induced pulmonary damage.
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