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Microplastics: What happens in the human digestive tract? First evidences in adults using in vitro gut models

Journal of Hazardous Materials 2022 114 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 60 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.

E Fournier, E Fournier, E Fournier, E Fournier, E Fournier, E Fournier, E Fournier, E Fournier, E Fournier, E Fournier, Fabienne Lagarde, Fabienne Lagarde, E Fournier, E Fournier, E Fournier, E Fournier, Erwan Engel, E Fournier, E Fournier, E Fournier, E Fournier, E Fournier, E Fournier, E Fournier, E Fournier, Jérémy Ratel, Muriel Mercier‐Bonin Fabienne Lagarde, Fabienne Lagarde, Fabienne Lagarde, Muriel Mercier‐Bonin Fabienne Lagarde, Muriel Mercier‐Bonin Muriel Mercier‐Bonin Jérémy Ratel, Lucie Etienne‐Mesmin, Fabienne Lagarde, Lucie Etienne‐Mesmin, Lucie Etienne‐Mesmin, Mathilde Lévêque, Muriel Mercier‐Bonin Lucie Etienne‐Mesmin, Lucie Etienne‐Mesmin, Lucie Etienne‐Mesmin, Lucie Etienne‐Mesmin, Lucie Etienne‐Mesmin, Mathilde Lévêque, Lucie Etienne‐Mesmin, Fabienne Lagarde, Fabienne Lagarde, Fabienne Lagarde, Fabienne Lagarde, Fabienne Lagarde, Fabienne Lagarde, Fabienne Lagarde, Jérémy Ratel, Muriel Mercier‐Bonin Valérie Bézirard, Lucie Etienne‐Mesmin, Fabienne Lagarde, Lucie Etienne‐Mesmin, Lucie Etienne‐Mesmin, Valérie Bézirard, Claude Durif, Philippe Ruiz, Philippe Ruiz, Fabienne Lagarde, Fabienne Lagarde, Fabienne Lagarde, Stéphanie Blanquet‐Diot, Stéphanie Blanquet‐Diot, Stéphanie Blanquet‐Diot, Fabienne Lagarde, Muriel Mercier‐Bonin Fabienne Lagarde, Stéphanie Blanquet‐Diot, Valérie Bézirard, Fabienne Lagarde, Muriel Mercier‐Bonin Valérie Bézirard, Muriel Mercier‐Bonin Stéphanie Blanquet‐Diot, Stéphanie Blanquet‐Diot, Stéphanie Blanquet‐Diot, Valérie Bézirard, Valérie Bézirard, Fabienne Lagarde, Fabienne Lagarde, Muriel Mercier‐Bonin Fabienne Lagarde, Valérie Bézirard, Stéphanie Blanquet‐Diot, Fabienne Lagarde, Jérémy Ratel, Mathilde Lévêque, Stéphanie Blanquet‐Diot, Valérie Bézirard, Mathilde Lévêque, E Fournier, Lucie Etienne‐Mesmin, Frédéric Amiard, Sandrine Chalançon, Fabienne Lagarde, Fabienne Lagarde, Fabienne Lagarde, Fabienne Lagarde, Fabienne Lagarde, Fabienne Lagarde, Fabienne Lagarde, Fabienne Lagarde, Fabienne Lagarde, Fabienne Lagarde, Fabienne Lagarde, Lucie Etienne‐Mesmin, Bruno Lamas, Philippe Ruiz, Philippe Ruiz, Philippe Ruiz, Frédéric Amiard, Frédéric Amiard, Frédéric Amiard, Frédéric Amiard, Claude Durif, Claude Durif, Sandrine Chalançon, Sandrine Chalançon, Fabienne Lagarde, Sandrine Chalançon, Fabienne Lagarde, Muriel Mercier‐Bonin Stéphanie Blanquet‐Diot, Erwan Engel, Claude Durif, Fabienne Lagarde, Sandrine Chalançon, Mathilde Lévêque, Fabienne Lagarde, Fabienne Lagarde, Frédéric Amiard, Muriel Mercier‐Bonin Fabienne Lagarde, Stéphanie Blanquet‐Diot, Frédéric Amiard, Frédéric Amiard, Muriel Mercier‐Bonin Fabienne Lagarde, Muriel Mercier‐Bonin Fabienne Lagarde, Fabienne Lagarde, Muriel Mercier‐Bonin Muriel Mercier‐Bonin Muriel Mercier‐Bonin Lucie Etienne‐Mesmin, Stéphanie Blanquet‐Diot, Fabienne Lagarde, Mathieu Edely, Fabienne Lagarde, Muriel Mercier‐Bonin Stéphanie Blanquet‐Diot, Stéphanie Blanquet‐Diot, Fabienne Lagarde, Stéphanie Blanquet‐Diot, Fabienne Lagarde, Stéphanie Blanquet‐Diot, Stéphanie Blanquet‐Diot, Fabienne Lagarde, Valérie Bézirard, Valérie Bézirard, Valérie Bézirard, Muriel Mercier‐Bonin Valérie Bézirard, Fabienne Lagarde, Fabienne Lagarde, Eric Gaultier, Fabienne Lagarde, Eric Gaultier, Eric Gaultier, Eric Gaultier, Eric Gaultier, Eric Gaultier, Fabienne Lagarde, Fabienne Lagarde, Fabienne Lagarde, Muriel Mercier‐Bonin Fabienne Lagarde, Lucie Etienne‐Mesmin, Lucie Etienne‐Mesmin, Lucie Etienne‐Mesmin, Fabienne Lagarde, Eric Gaultier, Eric Gaultier, Fabienne Lagarde, Bruno Lamas, Fabienne Lagarde, Bruno Lamas, Bruno Lamas, Bruno Lamas, Fabienne Lagarde, Fabienne Lagarde, Lucie Etienne‐Mesmin, Éric Houdeau, Éric Houdeau, Éric Houdeau, Éric Houdeau, Fabienne Lagarde, Fabienne Lagarde, Fabienne Lagarde, Stéphanie Blanquet‐Diot, Erwan Engel, Erwan Engel, Fabienne Lagarde, Fabienne Lagarde, Fabienne Lagarde, Erwan Engel, Lucie Etienne‐Mesmin, Lucie Etienne‐Mesmin, Lucie Etienne‐Mesmin, Stéphanie Blanquet‐Diot, Lucie Etienne‐Mesmin, Muriel Mercier‐Bonin Stéphanie Blanquet‐Diot, Muriel Mercier‐Bonin Stéphanie Blanquet‐Diot, Stéphanie Blanquet‐Diot, Stéphanie Blanquet‐Diot, Muriel Mercier‐Bonin Stéphanie Blanquet‐Diot, Muriel Mercier‐Bonin Muriel Mercier‐Bonin Muriel Mercier‐Bonin Muriel Mercier‐Bonin

Summary

Researchers used an advanced artificial gut model to study what happens when polyethylene microplastics pass through the human digestive tract under conditions mimicking repeated exposure. They found that microplastics altered the composition of gut bacteria and affected the intestinal barrier without causing overt toxicity. This is among the first studies to simulate realistic human digestive exposure to microplastics, suggesting subtle but meaningful effects on gut health.

Polymers

Body Systems

Digestive Immune

Study Type In vitro

Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitous in the environment and humans are inevitably exposed to them. However, the effects of MPs in the human digestive environment are largely unknown. The aim of our study was to investigate the impact of repeated exposure to polyethylene (PE) MPs on the human gut microbiota and intestinal barrier using, under adult conditions, the Mucosal Artificial Colon (M-ARCOL) model, coupled with a co-culture of intestinal epithelial and mucus-secreting cells. The composition of the luminal and mucosal gut microbiota was determined by 16S metabarcoding and microbial activities were characterized by gas, short chain fatty acid, volatolomic and AhR activity analyses. Gut barrier integrity was assessed via intestinal permeability, inflammation and mucin synthesis. First, exposure to PE MPs induced donor-dependent effects. Second, an increase in abundances of potentially harmful pathobionts, Desulfovibrionaceae and Enterobacteriaceae, and a decrease in beneficial bacteria such as Christensenellaceae and Akkermansiaceae were observed. These bacterial shifts were associated with changes in volatile organic compounds profiles, notably characterized by increased indole 3-methyl- production. Finally, no significant impact of PE MPs mediated by changes in gut microbial metabolites was reported on the intestinal barrier. Given these adverse effects of repeated ingestion of PE MPs on the human gut microbiota, studying at-risk populations like infants would be a valuable advance.

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