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Micro- and nanoplastic impact on insulin resistance and related metabolic disorder in rodents: A systematic review
Summary
This systematic review examined whether micro- and nanoplastics contribute to insulin resistance in animal studies. The findings suggest that polystyrene plastic particles can disrupt how the body processes sugar and responds to insulin, pointing to a possible link between plastic exposure and metabolic disorders like type 2 diabetes.
This systematic review focuses on evaluating the available evidence regarding the effects of polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics (PS-MNPs) on insulin resistance, considering their potential role in the pathophysiology of metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes. To this end, a structured search was conducted in PubMed and Scopus databases, following the PRISMA methodology, to identify and select relevant studies published in recent years. Although the initial search was broad, covering exposure to MNPs and metabolic alterations in general, the review was ultimately restricted to in vivo murine models, as they represent the most widely used experimental system in metabolic toxicology and constitute an essential step before translation into human research. This decision allowed for greater consistency and comparability of findings across different studies. The database search initially retrieved 911 publications, of which only 16 studies met the predefined eligibility criteria and were included in the final analysis. The eligibility criteria were as follows: we excluded studies not written in English, those lacking a control group, or without at least one intervention group exposed to micro- or nanoplastics. To ensure biological homogeneity, only studies conducted in mice were included, while all other species were excluded. Secondary literature, such as reviews and meta-analyses, was not considered. Finally, studies focusing on tissues other than the liver, adipose tissue, or obesity-related outcomes (e.g., kidney, placenta) were excluded. In this way, the review aims to synthesize the most relevant available evidence, identify common patterns, and highlight knowledge gaps that require further investigation. Overall, this review seeks to provide a critical and updated overview of the impact of PS-MNPs on metabolic dysfunction, offering a framework that may guide future experimental and clinical studies in this emerging field of environmental and metabolic health.