We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Co-exposure with cadmium elevates the toxicity of microplastics: Trojan horse effect from the perspective of intestinal barrier
AI summary Read the abstract
When mice were exposed to both microplastics and the toxic metal cadmium together, the health damage to their intestines and liver was significantly worse than exposure to either pollutant alone. The microplastics acted like a "Trojan horse," carrying cadmium past the gut barrier and increasing its accumulation in the body, while also disrupting the gut microbiome.
Microplastics (MPs) have been shown to adsorb heavy metals and serve as vehicles for their environmental transport. To date, insufficient studies have focused on enterohepatic injury in mice co-exposed to both MPs and cadmium (Cd). Here, we report that Cd adsorption increased the surface roughness and decreased the monodispersity of PS-MPs. Furthermore, exposure to both PS-MPs and Cd resulted in a more severe toxic effect compared to single exposure, with decreased body weight gain, shortened colon length, and increased colonic and hepatic inflammatory response observed. This can be attributed to an elevated accumulation of Cd resulting from increased gut permeability, coupled with the superimposed effects of oxidative stress. In addition, using 16 S sequencing and fecal microbiota transplantation, it was demonstrated that gut microbiota dysbiosis plays an essential role in the synergistic toxicity induced by PS-MPs and Cd in mice. This study showed that combined exposure to MPs and Cd induced more severe intestinal and liver damage in mice compared to individual exposure, and provided a new perspective for a more systematic risk assessment process related to MPs exposure.
More Papers Like This
Intestinal barrier disruption by cadmium and microplastics: Mechanistic insights from integrated metabolomic and proteomic analysis in mice
AI summary Read the abstract
A mouse study found that combined exposure to cadmium (a toxic metal) and microplastics caused more severe intestinal damage than either pollutant alone. The co-exposure disrupted key metabolic pathways and compromised the gut barrier, potentially promoting cancer cell growth and invasion. Since both cadmium and microplastics are widespread environmental contaminants that humans encounter together, this research highlights the importance of studying how multiple pollutants interact to harm health.
Trojan horse in the intestine: A review on the biotoxicity of microplastics combined environmental contaminants
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examines how microplastics act as 'Trojan horses' by carrying other environmental contaminants such as heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants, and pathogens into the intestinal system. Researchers analyzed the mechanisms by which microplastics adsorb and release these co-contaminants and how the combinations affect the gut barrier. The study highlights that the interactive toxicity of microplastics with other pollutants may be more harmful than either pollutant alone, particularly to intestinal health.
The gut microbiota: A key player in cadmium toxicity - implications for disease, interventions, and combined toxicant exposures
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examines how cadmium, a toxic heavy metal found in contaminated soil and water, damages health partly by disrupting gut bacteria. The connection to microplastics is significant because microplastics are known to absorb and carry heavy metals like cadmium, potentially increasing our exposure to these toxins and compounding the damage to our gut health.
New Evidence for the Mechanisms of Nanoplastics Amplifying Cadmium Cytotoxicity: Trojan Horse Effect, Inflammatory Response, and Calcium Imbalance
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers discovered that nanoplastics act as a "Trojan horse" by carrying cadmium (a toxic heavy metal) into liver cells and then releasing it inside, amplifying cadmium's toxicity by over 23%. The combined exposure triggered more severe inflammation and cell death than either pollutant alone, demonstrating how nanoplastics can make other environmental contaminants more dangerous to human health.
Microplastic co-exposure elevates cadmium accumulation in mouse tissue after rice consumption: Mechanisms and health implications
AI summary Read the abstract
In a mouse study, eating cadmium-contaminated rice alongside common microplastics led to 17-38% more cadmium accumulating in body tissues than eating the rice alone. The microplastics changed gut bacteria composition, which increased cadmium solubility and transport across the intestinal wall. This is directly relevant to human health because both microplastics and cadmium are common contaminants in rice, and their combined exposure may increase toxic metal absorption.
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.