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Polyethylene Microplastic Exposure Disrupts Sex and Gut Hormones via Gut Microbial and Metabolic Pathways.
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Researchers exposed female mice to polyethylene microplastics for four weeks and found significantly reduced levels of GLP-1, PYY, AMH, and testosterone, linked to reduced Akkermansia gut bacteria and disrupted metabolites, identifying a gut microbiome-mediated pathway through which microplastics disrupt sex and metabolic hormones.
Microplastics (MPs) disrupt the endocrine system by interfering with hormone production, signaling, and function, which can lead to hormonal imbalances and developmental disorders. This study systematically examined the effects of polyethylene (PE) MPs on circulatory hormone levels, uncovering the underlying mechanisms involving gut microbiota dysbiosis and metabolic changes. Female mice were exposed to PE MPs for 4 weeks, after which plasma levels of sex and enteropancreatic hormones were measured. Gut microbiota composition was analyzed through 16S rDNA sequencing, and plasma metabolites were profiled using high-throughput targeted metabolomics. The results revealed that PE MPs exposure significantly reduced circulating levels of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), peptide YY (PYY), Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), and testosterone. Moreover, PE MPs notably altered the gut microbial community and plasma metabolite profile, with significant reductions in Akkermansia abundance and its associated metabolites, such as myristic acid and phenylacetylglycine. In vitro studies with primary colonic cells showed that myristic acid increased GLP-1 secretion through the G-protein coupled receptor 120 (GPR120), while phenylacetylglycine enhanced GLP-1 secretion via the peptide transporter 1 (Pept1). Additionally, Akkermansia abundance and its metabolites were strongly positively correlated with plasma levels of PYY, AMH, and testosterone. In conclusion, exposure to PE MPs disrupted hormonal release, likely mediated by alterations in gut microbiota-particularly Akkermansia-and associated metabolites.
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Possible Role of Gut Microbiota in Polypropylene Microplastics-Induced Immunity and Reproductive Dysfunction in Mice
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Scientists exposed mice to polypropylene microplastics (found in many plastic food containers and packaging) for five weeks and found changes to gut bacteria, including a drop in a helpful probiotic species, along with shifts in genes affecting testicle function, though hormone levels and organ weights stayed normal. This suggests microplastics might disrupt the gut-reproductive system connection before causing obvious physical damage, but since this was only in mice, more research is needed to know what it means for human fertility.
Distinctive metabolic disturbances associated with redox homeostasis, nervous and hormonal functions during gut microbial enrichment upon polystyrene microplastic exposure
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Researchers tracked gut microbial enrichment, virome shifts, and metabolomic changes in organisms exposed to polystyrene microplastics, finding Eubacteriales-dominated dysbiosis accompanied by colitis. Microplastic exposure activated polyamine synthesis pathways, altered serotonin and thyroxine metabolism, and increased cholesterol-derived hormone synthesis, revealing complex hormonal and neurochemical disruption.
Polystyrene microplastics induce gut microbiota dysbiosis and hepatic lipid metabolism disorder in mice
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Researchers fed mice two sizes of polystyrene microplastics for five weeks and observed significant disruption of gut bacteria and changes in liver fat metabolism. The microplastics decreased mucus production in the gut and shifted the balance of key bacterial populations at multiple taxonomic levels. The study suggests that microplastic ingestion can trigger gut microbiota imbalance in mammals, which may in turn affect metabolic health.
Integrated fecal microbiome and metabolome analysis explore the link between polystyrene nanoplastics exposure and male reproductive toxicity in mice
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Researchers exposed mice to polystyrene nanoplastics of different sizes and doses, then analyzed fecal microbiome and metabolome changes alongside reproductive outcomes. The study found that nanoplastic exposure disrupted gut microbiota balance and metabolic pathways, which correlated with reduced sperm count, viability, and testosterone levels. The findings suggest that gut microbiota-metabolite disruption may play an important role in nanoplastic-induced male reproductive toxicity.
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Researchers found that long-term polystyrene microplastic exposure worsened high-fat-diet-induced obesity in mice by exacerbating gut microbiota dysbiosis, suggesting microplastic ingestion may amplify metabolic disease risk through disruption of the gut microbiome.
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