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Microplastic consumption induces inflammatory signatures in the colon and prolongs a viral arthritis
Summary
Researchers found that mice consuming polystyrene microplastics through drinking water developed mild inflammatory changes in the colon, even though the particles were not detected in internal organs. When the mice were infected with chikungunya virus, those consuming microplastics experienced significantly prolonged arthritic swelling associated with elevated immune cell activity. The study suggests that microplastic consumption may subtly alter gut and immune function in ways that worsen inflammatory responses.
Global microplastic (MP) contamination and the effects on the environment are well described. However, the potential for MP consumption to affect human health remains controversial. Mice consuming ≈80 μg/kg/day of 1 μm polystyrene MPs via their drinking water showed no weight loss, nor were MPs detected in internal organs. The microbiome was also not significantly changed. MP consumption did lead to small transcriptional changes in the colon suggesting plasma membrane perturbations and mild inflammation. Mice were challenged with the arthritogenic chikungunya virus, with MP consumption leading to a significantly prolonged arthritic foot swelling that was associated with elevated Th1, NK cell and neutrophil signatures. Immunohistochemistry also showed a significant increase in the ratio of neutrophils to monocyte/macrophages. The picture that emerges is reminiscent of enteropathic arthritis, whereby perturbations in the colon are thought to activate innate lymphoid cells that can inter alia migrate to joint tissues to promote inflammation.
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