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Evaluating the Hepatotoxicity of Polyvinyl Chloride Microplastics in Ducks: Oxidative andFibrotic Outcomes
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Researchers fed ducks low and high doses of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microplastics for two months and found that the particles accumulated in the liver, causing fat buildup, scarring, and cell death — similar to fatty liver disease in humans — suggesting plastic pollution may harm bird liver health in ways previously only studied in mammals.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a chronic liver disease that is common world-wide and studied extensively in mammals.Nevertheless, the pathways of NAFLD associated liver damage in the digestive tracts of birds remain unclear.In this study, 7-day-old female Muscovy ducks of the same batch were split into three groups and were fed pure water, 1mg/L polyvinyl chloride microplastics (PVC-MPs) or 10mg/L PVC-MPs, respectively, for 2 months.This study aimed to verify whether oxidative stress originated from PVC-MPs resulted in NAFLD in duck liver, thus triggering apoptosis in hepatocytes.The results of the study proved that the accumulation of PVC-MPs in liver had adverse effects on the morphological structure and functional performance of liver cells.This finding was supported by a decrease of liver organ coefficient and pathological injury to liver cells, as well as ultrastructural injury.Oxidative stress injury in the liver of female breeding duck induced the deficiency of PCK1 and activated PI3K/AKT pathway, which resulted in fatty deposition and fibrosis in the liver and led to hepatocyte apoptosis.In conclusion, PVC-MPs induced hepatic oxidative damage, hepatic lipid deposition and hepatic tissue fibrosis, and hence hepatic apoptosis.Our research provides new perspectives on the association of PVC-MPs with liver toxicity in female duck that contains hepatic dysfunction, mainly NAFLD.
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Co-exposure of polyvinyl chloride microplastics with cadmium promotes nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in female ducks through oxidative stress and glycolipid accumulation
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Researchers found that female ducks exposed to both PVC microplastics and cadmium together developed nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, with the combination being worse than either pollutant alone. The co-exposure caused oxidative stress and abnormal fat and sugar buildup in the liver. This study is relevant to human health because people are also exposed to microplastics and heavy metals simultaneously, and the combined effects may be more damaging than exposure to either one individually.
Preliminary evidence of polyvinyl chloride microplastics inducing ferroptosis in the cerebral cortex of ducks
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Scientists found that when ducks drank water containing PVC microplastics (a common plastic found in pipes, packaging, and other everyday items), the plastic particles built up in their brains, weakened the protective barrier that shields the brain from harmful substances, and triggered a harmful type of cell death linked to iron buildup and damage. While this study was done in ducks, not humans, it adds to growing evidence that ingesting microplastics may harm the brain — a concern worth watching as research on human exposure continues.
Microplastics, nanoplastics and liver disease: an emerging health concern?
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Researchers reviewed emerging evidence that microplastics and nanoplastics accumulate in human liver tissue at increasing concentrations over the past decade, trigger oxidative stress, fibrogenesis, and inflammation in cell and animal models, and may carry microbial pathogens and endocrine-disrupting chemicals, introducing the concept of plastic-induced liver injury as a new focus for environmental hepatology.
Effects of Polyvinyl Chloride Microplastics on the Growth Rate, Liver Enzyme, and Serum Metabolites of Cirrhinus mrigala
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Scientists found that plastic particles in water seriously harm fish by damaging their liver and slowing their growth. Since we eat fish and plastic pollution affects the entire food chain, this research suggests that microplastics could eventually impact human health too. The more plastic particles in the water, the sicker the fish became, which is concerning because plastic pollution in our waterways keeps getting worse.
Transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis reveals hepatic lipid metabolism disruption in Japanese quail under polystyrene microplastics exposure
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Researchers fed Japanese quail polystyrene microplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations for 35 days and analyzed liver effects using transcriptomics and metabolomics. Low doses caused increased food intake and weight gain with liver lipid accumulation, while high doses led to decreased intake and weight loss, suggesting a hormetic dose-response pattern. The study found that microplastic exposure disrupted hepatic lipid metabolism pathways and caused liver oxidative stress in birds.
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