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Microplastic accumulation in endometrial cancer tissues and its metabolic impact
Summary
Researchers examined microplastic levels in endometrial cancer tissues compared to normal tissue and found that cancer tissues contained significantly higher concentrations of plastic particles. The most common plastics detected were polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene. Metabolic analysis revealed that microplastic presence was associated with changes in cancer-related metabolic pathways, suggesting that microplastics may play a role in promoting tumor development through metabolic reprogramming.
With increasing global awareness of plastic pollution, microplastics (MPs) have emerged as a potential environmental health hazard. While MPs have been detected in various human tissues, their relevance to gynecological malignancies, particularly endometrial cancer (EC), remains largely unexplored. This study aims to evaluate MP accumulation in EC tissues and investigate its potential impact on tissue metabolic reprogramming. Raman spectroscopy, combined with untargeted metabolomics, was employed to comprehensively assess both the presence and metabolic consequences of MPs in EC and matched normal endometrial tissues. In 32 analyzed samples, MPs averaged 3.2 ± 2.3 particles/g, with polyethylene (15.7 %), polypropylene (11.8 %), ethylene-acrylic acid (10.8 %), and polystyrene (8.8 %) predominating. Endometrial cancer tissues exhibited significantly higher MP levels (3.7 ± 2.5 particles/g) than normal controls (2.0 ± 1.5 particles/g). Metabolomic profiling revealed that MP exposure is associated with substantial alterations in cancer-related metabolic pathways, with the glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism pathway showing the most pronounced enrichment. Key differential metabolites included glycine, N-acetyl-arginine, and 4-aminobutyric acid, which have been implicated in tumor proliferation and immune regulation. These findings suggest that MPs may promote the development of EC through modulation of metabolic pathways, providing novel insights into the role of MPs in gynecological cancers. This study highlights the emerging threat of environmental pollution to women's reproductive health and offers innovative theoretical perspectives for future research.
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