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Unraveling Persistent Health Impacts in Mice Following Cessation of Microplastic Exposure: Insights beyond the Surface

ACS Nano 2025 6 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 63 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.

Qing Wang Yongfeng Deng, Yongfeng Deng, Yongfeng Deng, Yongfeng Deng, Yongfeng Deng, Qing Wang Yongfeng Deng, Yongfeng Deng, Yongfeng Deng, Qing Wang Yongfeng Deng, Yongfeng Deng, Hexia Chen, Qing Wang Qing Wang Qing Wang Hexia Chen, Hexia Chen, Hexia Chen, Qing Wang Qing Wang Yongfeng Deng, Hexia Chen, Peng Xia, Peng Xia, Peng Xia, Hexia Chen, Da Chen, Yongfeng Deng, Hongli Tan, Hongli Tan, Yongfeng Deng, Da Chen, Peng Xia, Hexia Chen, Qing Wang Hongli Tan, Qing Wang Yongfeng Deng, Qing Wang Qing Wang Hongli Tan, Hexia Chen, Hongli Tan, Hongli Tan, Yongfeng Deng, Yongfeng Deng, Hongli Tan, Hongli Tan, Qing Wang Hongli Tan, Wen Chen, Qing Wang Hongli Tan, Qing Wang Yongfeng Deng, Qing Wang Qing Wang Qing Wang Wen Chen, Qing Wang Hongli Tan, Qing Wang Qing Wang Da Chen, Hongli Tan, Qing Wang Qing Wang Qing Wang Qing Wang Qing Wang Qing Wang Qing Wang Da Chen, Wen Chen, Hongli Tan, Yongfeng Deng, Da Chen, Da Chen, Hongli Tan, Hongli Tan, Hongli Tan, Qing Wang Da Chen, Qing Wang Qing Wang Qing Wang Hongli Tan, Da Chen, Wen Chen, Hongli Tan, Qing Wang Qing Wang Qing Wang Qing Wang Qing Wang Qing Wang Qing Wang Qing Wang Yongfeng Deng, Hexia Chen, Hongli Tan, Hexia Chen, Qing Wang Da Chen, Qing Wang Yongfeng Deng, Qing Wang Qing Wang Qing Wang Qing Wang Qing Wang Da Chen, Qing Wang Qing Wang Da Chen, Wen Chen, Qing Wang Da Chen, Da Chen, Da Chen, Qing Wang

Summary

In a study of mice exposed to microplastics at environmentally realistic levels for 21 weeks, researchers found that harmful effects on fat metabolism and gut bacteria persisted even after 4 weeks with no further exposure. Higher doses and smaller particles caused the most lasting damage, and the body's key metabolic regulator (AMPK pathway) remained suppressed. This is one of the first studies to show that the health effects of microplastic exposure may not simply reverse once exposure stops.

Polymers

Models

Mouse

Study Type In vivo

The ability of organisms to recover from microplastic (MP) exposure is critical for forming global strategies for MP regulation, risk mitigation, and health protection. However, the recovery dynamics following chronic exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations (ERCs) of MPs remains poorly understood. Here, we present a comprehensive investigation into postexposure recovery following long-term ingestion of polystyrene MPs (40-100 μm) in mice. Animals were fed MPs at either an ERC (approximately 512-2060 particles/day) or a high-dose level (ten times ERC) for 21 weeks, followed by a 4 week recovery period without exposure. Despite cessation of exposure, disruptions in lipid metabolism and gut microbiota persisted in dose- and size-dependent manners, with high-dose groups showing markedly limited recovery. Mechanistic in vitro studies using Caco-2 cells further revealed that MPs impair lipid metabolic homeostasis via sustained suppression of the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway. Together, our findings provide crucial in vivo evidence via a mammalian model that chronic exposure to ERCs of MPs can lead to long-lasting metabolic and microbiome disturbances postexposure. These results underscore the urgency of reassessing the long-term health risks of MPs and developing strategies that address both exposure and postexposure recovery.

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