We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Characterization of Microplastics in Human Gastric Cancer and Control Tissues and Analysis of Associated Genetic Features
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers detected and characterized microplastics in human gastric cancer tissue and adjacent healthy tissue, finding significantly higher microplastic concentrations in cancer tissue, and used transcriptome sequencing to explore potential molecular mechanisms linking microplastic exposure to gastric cancer development.
The presence of microplastics in the human body has been widely confirmed. This study aimed to characterize the presence of microplastics in human gastric tissue and explore the relationship between microplastic exposure and gastric cancer risk, as well as the potential underlying molecular mechanisms. Microplastics present in human gastric tissues are characterized using three methods. Following this, the relationship between microplastic exposure and the development of gastric cancer, as well as the potential underlying molecular mechanisms, is explored using clinical case data and transcriptome sequencing. Microplastics are widely present in human gastric tissues, with a significantly higher microplastic load observed in gastric tumor tissues than para-tumor and normal gastric tissues. Furthermore, a high microplastic load is significantly associated with lymph node metastasis in patients with gastric cancer. A high microplastic load leads to significant enrichment of biological processes and signaling pathways, such as cytotoxicity and oxidative stress. Additionally, a high microplastic load is associated with significant upregulation of genes associated with malignant disease, which is significantly associated with poor prognosis in patients with gastric cancer. Microplastic exposure may be a potential risk factor for the onset of gastric cancer.
More Papers Like This
Higher number of microplastics in tumoral colon tissues from patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found higher concentrations of microplastics in cancerous colon tissue compared to healthy tissue from the same patients, suggesting a possible link between microplastic accumulation and colorectal cancer, though this study cannot yet establish whether microplastics cause the disease.
Microplastic Accumulation in the Human Lung: Distinct Signatures in Lung Cancer vs Normal Tissue
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists found tiny plastic particles (from things like packaging and bottles) in all the lung tissue samples they studied, both cancerous and healthy. Cancer samples tended to have more plastic bits, especially smaller fiber-shaped pieces made of common plastics like polypropylene and PET, but this was a small study, so it can't yet prove plastics cause cancer, just that they're worth investigating further. Bottom line: this adds to growing evidence that microplastics are showing up in our bodies, and researchers want to know if they're contributing to lung disease.
Detection and quantification of microplastics in various types of human tumor tissues
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers detected microplastics in 43% of tumor samples across lung, gastric, colorectal, cervical, and pancreatic cancers, with polystyrene, PVC, and polyethylene being the types found. In pancreatic tumors, microplastic presence was associated with fewer immune cells that fight cancer and more immune cells linked to tumor progression, suggesting microplastics may create conditions that help tumors evade the immune system.
In-silico pharmacological insights into the therapeutic potential of microRNAs for microplastic-associated cancers
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers systematically screened published literature to identify cancer-related genes altered by microplastic exposure, then computationally evaluated microRNAs with anticancer activity that could target those genes, finding potential miRNA-based therapeutic candidates across breast, gastric, and other microplastic-associated tumor types.
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.