We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Mapping the impact of prolonged microplastics exposure on enteric viral infections using human intestinal organoids
AI summary Read the abstract
Using human intestinal organoids exposed to micro- and nanoplastics over extended periods, researchers found that chronic exposure disrupted mitochondrial function and reprogrammed antiviral immune responses, reducing the effectiveness of antiviral treatments against echovirus and rotavirus. This reveals a previously underappreciated way that microplastic accumulation in the gut may worsen infectious disease outcomes and impair therapeutic responsiveness.
Micro- and nanoplastic particles (MNPs) are pervasive environmental pollutants increasingly detected in the human body, yet the health consequences of chronic exposure remain poorly defined. Human intestinal organoids (HIO) have emerged as superior platforms for modelling intestinal diseases including enteric viral infections. In this study, we established a chronic MNPs exposure model using HIO. Long-term MNPs exposure elicited transcriptomic signatures of mitochondrial stress and broad metabolic disruption without inducing overt epithelial cell death. Using this system, we modeled enteric viral infection with echovirus and rotavirus, and demonstrated that prolonged MNPs exposure reprogrammed epithelial antiviral responses, altered viral infection capability, and diminished the efficacy of antiviral treatment. Together, these findings suggest that chronic microplastic exposure can reshape mucosal physiology, modulate virus-host interactions, and impair therapeutic responsiveness, highlighting an under recognized dimension of MNPs impact on infectious disease outcomes.
More Papers Like This
Mapping the impact of microplastics exposure on enteric viral infections in intestinal organoid models
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers mapped the impact of microplastic and nanoplastic exposure on enteric viral infections in intestinal epithelial cells, finding that MNP exposure altered cell surface receptors and tight junctions in ways that may increase susceptibility to viral entry and intestinal infection.
Impact of Micro‐ and Nano‐Plastics on Human Intestinal Organoid‐Derived Epithelium
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers developed a detailed protocol for testing how micro and nanoplastics affect the human intestinal lining using patient-derived intestinal organoids, which are lab-grown miniature gut tissues that closely mimic real human intestines. The model includes specialized M cells that are key to how particles cross the gut barrier, making it more realistic than standard cell line experiments. This advanced testing approach will help scientists better understand how microplastics we swallow through food and water interact with and potentially damage the human digestive system.
Enteric virus infection was boosted by the accumulation of micro- and nano-particles in host cells
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers discovered that polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics can boost viral infection by promoting the release of virus-carrying extracellular vesicles from host cells. In experiments with murine norovirus, pre-exposure to the plastic particles enhanced viral spread while simultaneously suppressing key immune responses. The study identifies a previously unrecognized mechanism by which environmental plastic pollution could increase vulnerability to enteric virus infections.
A novel 3D intestine barrier model to study the immune response upon exposure to microplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists developed a three-dimensional in vitro intestinal model using human epithelial cell lines (Caco-2 and HT-29) to study the immune response to ingested microplastics, finding that microplastics induced inflammatory cytokine release and altered barrier integrity in a dose-dependent manner.
Predictive metabolomic signatures for safety assessment of three plastic nanoparticles using intestinal organoids
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists used lab-grown miniature intestines (organoids) from mice to study how three types of nanoplastics affect gut cells. All three plastic types reduced energy production in cells, caused oxidative stress, and disrupted important cell-signaling pathways. The study found that metabolic profiling could detect subtle damage from nanoplastics even before obvious cell harm appeared, offering a sensitive new way to assess the gut health risks of plastic particle exposure.
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.