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A probiotic for preventing microplastic toxicity: Clostridium dalinum mitigates microplastic-induced damage via microbiota-metabolism-barrier interactions
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Using metagenomics and metabolomics, this study found that the probiotic bacterium Clostridium dalinum reduced microplastic-induced gut damage in mice by modulating gut microbiota composition, metabolic pathways, and intestinal barrier integrity.
Microplastics (MPs) are widely distributed and accumulated in the environment, making it nearly impossible for humans to avoid ingestion. Their toxicity can cause serious health damage and pose a threat to human health. In this context, developing strategies to prevent and restore toxic damage from their ingestion is extremely urgent. This study comprehensively employs various techniques, including metagenomics and metabolomics, to explore the pre-protective and restorative effects of , a potential probiotic with excellent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capabilities, on damage induced by exposure to polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) in mice. The results show that exposure to PS-MPs leads to significant intestinal damage in mice; preemptive intake of for pre-protection, or post-exposure intake of for restorative treatment, both significantly reduced the damage caused by MPs exposure, as evidenced by changes in intestinal length (PS-MPs exposure vs pre-protection vs restoration vs control = 36.55 vs 39.94 vs 40.12 vs 41.05 cm), barrier protein content (27.12 % vs 97.28 % vs 97.73 % vs 100.00 %), and inflammation levels (284.56 % vs 101.05 % vs 98.17 % vs 100.00 %). Mechanistically, the pre-protective and restorative effects of both rely on upregulating the expression of barrier proteins such as ZO-1 and Occludin and inhibiting the TLR4/NF-κB inflammatory signaling pathway. Meanwhile, the two intervention modes also exhibit specific mechanisms: in the pre-protection mode, enhances lipid metabolic balance and antioxidant reserves by pre-activating the PPARγ/GPR43 pathway, and enriches the ABC transporters pathway to promote toxin efflux capacity, thereby preventing PS-MPs-induced damage; in the restoration mode, repairs intestinal damage by enriching the beneficial bacterium and inhibiting the pro-inflammatory bacterium , and regulating intestinal metabolites. In summary, this study is the first to confirm that can effectively prevent and restore intestinal damage caused by PS-MPs exposure through the synergistic pathway of "microbiota-metabolism-barrier". Importantly, this study is the first to reveal the potential and unique mechanisms of probiotics in preventing and restoring MPs exposure toxicity, providing a theoretical basis for the future development of probiotic-based defense strategies.
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Perturbation of gut microbiota plays an important role in micro/nanoplastics-induced gut barrier dysfunction
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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.
Probiotics as Modulators of Microplastic-induced Toxicity: A Systematic Review
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This systematic review found that probiotics can reduce microplastic-induced toxicity in animal models by restoring gut microbiota balance, reducing oxidative stress, and modulating inflammatory responses. The findings suggest that probiotic supplementation may help mitigate the harmful effects of unavoidable microplastic exposure, though human clinical trials are still needed.
Gut microbiota and liver metabolomics reveal the potential mechanism of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG modulating the liver toxicity caused by polystyrene microplastics in mice
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Researchers found that the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG helped protect mice from liver damage caused by polystyrene microplastic exposure. The probiotic worked by restoring healthy gut bacteria and normalizing liver metabolic pathways disrupted by the microplastics. The study suggests that supporting gut health through beneficial bacteria may help mitigate some of the toxic effects microplastics have on the liver.
The microplastic-crisis: Role of bacteria in fighting microplastic-effects in the digestive system
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This review describes how micro- and nanoplastics may affect the digestive tract, including the gut microbiota, digestive enzymes and the mucus layer. The authors compared probiotic genomes with known plastic degraders and found no probiotic able to degrade plastic. They discuss probiotics instead for effects on microbial diversity, the gut barrier and inflammation.
Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ZP-6 mitigates polystyrene nanoplastics-induced liver damage in colitis mice via the gut-liver axis
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The probiotic strain Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ZP-6 mitigated polystyrene nanoplastic-induced liver injury in an animal model through multiple mechanisms including toxin binding, barrier enhancement, and anti-inflammatory activity, suggesting probiotics as a potential strategy for reducing nanoplastic health impacts.
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