Co-exposure to Polystyrene Microplastics and Di-(2-Ethylhexyl) Phthalate Aggravates Allergic Asthma Through the TRPA1-p38 MAPK Pathway

Polystyrene microplastics trigger intestinal inflammation through CXCL11-mediated T-cell recruitment

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Scientists found that microplastics, tiny plastic particles now found in water, food, and even our bodies, can trigger significant gut inflammation in fish by activating a specific immune signaling pathway that recruits inflammatory cells into intestinal tissue. While this study was done in zebrafish, not humans, it reveals a detailed biological mechanism for how these ubiquitous plastic particles might damage gut health, raising important questions about similar effects in people given how widely microplastics have infiltrated our environment and food supply.

Co-exposure of polyethylene terephthalate micro- and nanoplastics with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances triggers immune dysregulation, apoptotic activation, and neurotoxicity

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Researchers exposed zebrafish larvae to combined polyethylene terephthalate microplastics and PFOA and found that co-exposure triggered oxidative stress, immune dysregulation, neurological impairment, and metabolic disruption, with gene expression changes indicating additive toxicity beyond either contaminant alone.

Microplastics and Human Health: A Comprehensive Review of Exposure Pathways, Biological Mechanisms, and Clinical Implications

Intersection of microplastic toxicity targets and differentially expressed genes in allergic rhinitis.

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Network analysis identified a set of genes that are both targeted by common microplastics (PE, PP, PVC, PS) and differentially expressed in allergic rhinitis, providing a molecular framework for investigating how microplastic exposure may contribute to nasal allergy pathogenesis.

Gut-lung axis: a novel mechanism involving microbiota dysbiosis-coordinated PLA2-TRPV1 neuroimmune crosstalk in nanoplastic-induced asthma exacerbation

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Researchers found that inhaled polystyrene nanoplastics worsen asthma in mice by triggering a chain reaction involving gut bacteria disruption, nerve-immune signaling, and airway inflammation, revealing a gut-lung connection where plastic particles in the body can amplify respiratory disease through multiple biological pathways at once.