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Methylation patterns and mathematical models reveal dynamics of stem cell turnover in the human colon
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Researchers investigated the dynamics of stem cell turnover in the human colon using methylation patterns as biomarkers, finding that mathematical modeling of these epigenetic marks can reveal the rates at which colonic stem cells divide and are replaced over time.
Micro-nano plastics originating from the prevalent usage of plastics have raised increasingly alarming concerns worldwide. However, there remains a fundamental knowledge gap in nanoplastics because of the lack of effective analytical ...Plastics are now omnipresent in our daily lives. The existence of microplastics (1 µm to 5 mm in length) and possibly even nanoplastics (<1 μm) has recently raised health concerns. In particular, nanoplastics are believed to be more toxic since their ...
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Exposure to nanoplastics at a human-relevant dose impairs epithelial cell lineage in murine and human colonoid models
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Scientists exposed mini gut tissue samples (colonoids) grown from mouse and human colon cells to nanoplastic particles at a level relevant to human exposure. The particles changed the balance of stem cells and mature cells, disrupting normal tissue growth and repair in both healthy tissue and tissue from patients with colorectal cancer or Crohn's disease.
Why Is Colorectal Cancer Occurring Earlier? Metabolic Dysfunction, Underrecognized Carcinogens, and Emerging Controversies
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Researchers reviewed the rising incidence of early-onset colorectal cancer in people under 50, synthesizing epidemiological, molecular, and multi-omics evidence that implicates metabolic dysfunction, accelerated epigenetic aging, gut microbiome dysbiosis, and modern environmental exposures including micro- and nanoplastics as converging contributors to this trend.
Microplastics perturb colonic epithelial homeostasis associated with intestinal overproliferation, exacerbating the severity of colitis
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Researchers found that microplastic exposure disrupted the balance of cell growth and differentiation in the colon lining of mice, triggering overproliferation of intestinal stem cells through activation of the Notch signaling pathway. While microplastics alone caused only mild inflammation, they significantly worsened the severity of experimentally induced colitis, leading to more severe weight loss, tissue damage, and inflammation. The study suggests that microplastic exposure may increase vulnerability to inflammatory bowel conditions.
CA1-Associated Epithelial-State Remodeling in Colon Cancer Cells Exposed to Polystyrene Nanoplastics: Integrated Multi-Omics and In Vitro Analyses.
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Researchers studied human colon cancer cells and lab-grown organoids exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics, using gene analysis and computer modeling. Exposure lowered levels of a protein called CA1 and related genes, along with changes linked to inflammation and cell stress, and increased wound-closure activity in colon cancer cells grown in dishes.
Colon Organoids as Experimental Models to Study the Effect of Micro-Nanoparticles as a Driver of Early-Onset Colon Cancer
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Researchers used human colon organoids—three-dimensional tissue models derived from patient biopsies—as experimental platforms to investigate whether micro- and nanoplastic exposure could drive early-onset colorectal cancer development. Organoid exposure to various micro/nanoplastic types induced cellular stress responses, barrier disruption, and pro-carcinogenic gene expression patterns relevant to colorectal cancer initiation.
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