We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Polylactic acid micro/nanoplastic-induced hepatotoxicity: Investigating food and air sources via multi-omics
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that polylactic acid (PLA) — a plastic marketed as biodegradable — caused liver damage in mice whether the particles were ingested through food or inhaled through air, disrupting gut and lung microbiomes along the way. The findings challenge the assumption that biodegradable plastics are safe and suggest that micro- and nanoplastics from any source can pose a risk to liver health.
Micro/nanoplastics (MNPs) are detected in human liver, and pose significant risks to human health. Oral exposure to MNPs derived from non-biodegradable plastics can induce toxicity in mouse liver. Similarly, nasal exposure to non-biodegradable plastics can cause airway dysbiosis in mice. However, the hepatotoxicity induced by foodborne and airborne biodegradable MNPs remains poorly understood. Here we show the hepatotoxic effects of biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) MNPs through multi-omics analysis of various biological samples from mice, including gut, fecal, nasal, lung, liver, and blood samples. Our results show that both foodborne and airborne PLA MNPs compromise liver function, disrupt serum antioxidant activity, and cause liver pathology. Specifically, foodborne MNPs lead to gut microbial dysbiosis, metabolic alterations in the gut and serum, and liver transcriptomic changes. Airborne MNPs affect nasal and lung microbiota, alter lung and serum metabolites, and disrupt liver transcriptomics. The gut Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group is a potential biomarker for foodborne PLA MNP exposure, while nasal unclassified_Muribaculaceae and lung Klebsiella are potential biomarkers for airborne PLA MNP exposure. The relevant results suggest that foodborne PLA MNPs could affect the "gut microbiota-gut-liver" axis and induce hepatoxicity, while airborne PLA MNPs could disrupt the "airway microbiota-lung-liver" axis and cause hepatoxicity. These findings have implications for diagnosing PLA MNPs-induced hepatotoxicity and managing biodegradable materials in the environment. Our current study could be a starting point for biodegradable MNPs-induced hepatotoxicity. More research is needed to verify and inhibit the pathways that are crucial to MNPs-induced hepatotoxicity.
More Papers Like This
Hepatotoxicity induced by polylactic acid microplastics: The mediating role of gut microbiota and uric acid metabolism
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics, often marketed as biodegradable and eco-friendly, caused liver damage in a study by disrupting gut bacteria and raising uric acid levels. The gut microbiome changes triggered by PLA microplastics were the key driver of the liver injury, not direct contact with the liver. This challenges the assumption that biodegradable plastics are safe and highlights the gut-liver connection in microplastic toxicity.
Oral exposure to PLA microplastics induces time-dependent nanotoxicity via the gut-liver axis
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers fed mice polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics, a type derived from biodegradable plastic, and tracked health effects over time using advanced metabolic and microbiome analysis. Short-term exposure caused gut inflammation and altered gut bacteria composition, followed by metabolic disturbances in the liver and intestine. However, prolonged exposure triggered adaptive changes, suggesting the body can partially adjust to sustained microplastic presence, though the long-term implications remain uncertain.
PLA plastic particles disrupt bile acid metabolism leading to hepatic inflammatory injury in male mice
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics, often considered a safer biodegradable alternative, caused inflammatory liver damage in male mice by disrupting bile acid metabolism. Both cell and animal experiments showed that PLA particles triggered inflammation and altered the chemical signaling pathways that regulate bile acid production. The study suggests that even biodegradable microplastics may pose health risks that deserve further scrutiny.
Bioplastics Toxicity Upon Ingestion: A Critical Review of Biotransformation and Gastrointestinal Effects
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers reviewed how bioplastic-derived micro- and nanoplastics — particularly from polylactic acid — behave in the gastrointestinal tract, finding that simulated digestion causes fragmentation and protein corona formation, while in vivo mouse models show gut microbiota disruption, oxidative stress, and indirect hepatotoxicity via altered microbial metabolism.
Oligomer nanoparticle release from polylactic acid plastics catalysed by gut enzymes triggers acute inflammation
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that polylactic acid (PLA), a popular 'eco-friendly' biodegradable plastic, releases nanoplastic particles when broken down by gut enzymes during digestion. In mice, these PLA fragments accumulated in the liver, intestine, and brain, causing intestinal damage and acute inflammation by interfering with a key immune enzyme, raising important questions about whether biodegradable plastics are truly safer for human health.
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.