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Polystyrene Microplastics Stimulate the Wnt Pathway to Cause Colorectal Cancer
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Researchers investigated the role of polystyrene microplastics in colorectal cancer development and found that PS-MPs activate the Wnt signaling pathway, promoting tumor cell proliferation and migration. The findings provide mechanistic evidence linking dietary microplastic exposure to colorectal cancer progression.
Polystyrene is one of the most commonly used plastics in daily life. After being discarded, it can be degraded into polystyrene microplastics under the action of the environment and enter the human body with the food chain. Polystyrene microplastics as a growing plastic threat, we focused on its role in the occurrence of colorectal cancer. Mechanistically, we focused on the interaction between polystyrene and the Wnt pathway, and determined whether the Wnt pathway was activated by detecting the expression of APC gene, MYC protein and -catenin. It is hoped that through our experiments, the public can realize the harm of polystyrene microplastics to public health.
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Multi-omics analysis and experiments reveal an association between polystyrene microplastics exposure and colorectal cancer progression.
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Scientists found that tiny plastic particles called polystyrene microplastics, commonly found in packaging and everyday plastics, may help colorectal cancer cells grow, spread, and survive in lab and animal studies. This suggests microplastic exposure could play a role in worsening colon cancer, though more research is needed to confirm this happens in humans.
Microplastics’ Impact on the Development of AOM/DSS-Induced Colitis-Associated Colorectal Cancer in Mice
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Researchers used a mouse model of colitis-associated colorectal cancer and found that chronic polystyrene microplastic exposure (1.48 mg/kg/day for 12 weeks) increased tumor nodule number and promoted cancer development, providing experimental evidence linking microplastic ingestion to colorectal carcinogenesis.
Polystyrene nanoplastics promote colorectal tumorigenesis via gut microbiota-metabolite-Th17 cell axis
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In mice with chemically induced colorectal cancer, long-term feeding of polystyrene nanoplastics damaged the gut lining and altered gut bacteria, reducing a protective bacterium and its byproduct, propionic acid. This weakened an immune response linked to tumor fighting and increased tumor growth. Researchers also found microplastics in colorectal cancer patients' tissue and blood samples.
Microplastics role in cell migration and distribution during cancer cell division
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Researchers exposed human colorectal cancer cells to polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics and found the particles persisted inside cells without being eliminated, were passed from parent to daughter cells during division, and significantly increased cell migration -- a key step in cancer spreading. These findings suggest microplastics could act as hidden promoters of tumor progression in the gut, where plastic exposure through food is highest.
Long-term low-dose exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics induces morphological and transcriptional reprogramming to enhance metastatic potential of colorectal cancer cells
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Researchers exposed colorectal cancer cells to low doses of 20-nanometer polystyrene nanoplastics over an extended period and found that the cells underwent significant morphological and genetic changes that enhanced their ability to migrate and metastasize. The nanoplastic-treated cells showed increased markers for cancer stem cell properties and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Zebrafish models confirmed that nanoplastic exposure accelerated the spread of colorectal cancer cells, suggesting nanoplastics may contribute to cancer progression.
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.