We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Organ-Specific Effects of Polystyrene Nanoplastics on Deltamethrin-Induced Toxicity in Mice: Mitigated Hepatorenal Oxidative Damage But Increased Enteric Toxicity
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers studied how nanoplastics combined with the pesticide deltamethrin affect different organs in mice. They found that nanoplastics actually reduced pesticide-related damage in the liver and kidneys but increased toxicity in the intestines by trapping more pesticide there and disrupting gut bacteria. The study reveals that nanoplastics can shift where pesticide damage occurs in the body, creating unexpected health risks in the digestive system.
This study investigates the combined effects of polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs) and deltamethrin (DEL) on mice, focusing on their different impacts among organs. Mice were exposed to PS-NPs and/or DEL for 30 days. Results showed that PS-NPs alleviated DEL-induced oxidative damage in the liver and kidney by reducing its accumulation due to decreased bioaccessibility. Conversely, PS-NPs increased DEL accumulation in the intestine, leading to enhanced susceptibility to enteric infections caused by bacteria, viruses, and parasites, as indicated by transcriptomic analysis. PS-NPs delayed DEL excretion by reducing gastrointestinal motility, as evidenced by altered neurotransmitter levels, thereby contributing to greater intestinal accumulation of DEL. Moreover, 16S rDNA sequencing revealed that PS-NPs tended to decrease beneficial bacteria and increase pathogenic bacteria in the gut microbiota, further heightening susceptibility to enteric infections upon coexposure. The findings of this study shed new light on the complex health risks associated with coexposure to nanoplastics and pesticides.
More Papers Like This
Polystyrene nanoparticles aggravate the adverse effects of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate on different segments of intestine in mice
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers exposed mice to polystyrene nanoparticles and the plasticizer DEHP simultaneously, finding that co-exposure caused greater intestinal damage — including shorter villi, disrupted tight junctions, and reduced mucus coverage — than either contaminant alone, with gut microbiota alterations likely contributing to the enhanced toxicity.
Systemic effects of nanoplastics on multi-organ at the environmentally relevant dose: The insights in physiological, histological, and oxidative damages
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers gave mice nanoplastics at doses estimated to match real-world human exposure levels and found the particles crossed the intestinal barrier and accumulated in the liver and kidneys. Even at these low, environmentally relevant doses, the nanoplastics caused oxidative stress and tissue damage across multiple organs. The findings suggest that everyday nanoplastic exposure may pose broader health risks than previously assumed.
Size-dependent Effects of Polystyrene Micro- and Nanoplastics on Gastrointestinal Microbiota in Mice: Overlooked Axial Site-Specific Heterogeneity and Radial Mucosal-Luminal Compartment Divergence.
AI summary Read the abstract
Mice drank water with small (nanoplastic) or larger (microplastic) polystyrene particles for four weeks. Smaller particles mostly disturbed gut-lining bacteria in the intestine, while larger particles affected the stomach lining and bacteria living in the gut's open space, and both were linked to changes in liver and kidney blood markers.
The role of gut microbiota in mediating increased toxicity of nano-sized polystyrene compared to micro-sized polystyrene in mice
AI summary Read the abstract
This mouse study found that nano-sized polystyrene plastics were significantly more toxic than micro-sized ones, causing greater gut inflammation, liver damage, and metabolic disruption. The key difference was driven by how each size affected gut bacteria: nanoplastics caused a more severe shift toward harmful bacteria and away from beneficial ones. The findings suggest that the smallest plastic particles may pose the greatest health risk because they more dramatically disrupt the gut microbiome.
Polystyrene microplastics induce size-dependent multi-organ damage in mice: Insights into gut microbiota and fecal metabolites
AI summary Read the abstract
A mouse study found that microplastics of different sizes cause damage to multiple organs, but in different ways. Smaller particles (0.5 micrometers) spread more widely through the body and caused more inflammation in the spleen, kidneys, heart, lungs, and liver, while larger particles (5 micrometers) caused worse gut damage and disrupted gut bacteria linked to brain inflammation. This suggests that the size of microplastics we are exposed to matters for which organs are most affected.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.