Papers

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Article Tier 2

Assessment of the Toxicity of Polystyrene Microplastic in the Colon and Liver of Adult NMRI Mice

Researchers orally administered polystyrene microplastics to adult male mice at four doses for four weeks and examined histological changes in the colon and liver. Both organs showed dose-dependent tissue damage including inflammation and oxidative stress markers, with the colon showing earlier onset injury due to direct contact with ingested particles.

2025 Iranian Journal of Veterinary Medicine
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics exacerbate experimental colitis in mice tightly associated with the occurrence of hepatic inflammation

Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics worsened experimentally induced colitis in mice, causing greater intestinal inflammation, reduced mucus secretion, and increased gut permeability. The study also revealed that microplastic exposure in mice with colitis increased the risk of secondary liver inflammation, suggesting that individuals with pre-existing gut conditions may be more vulnerable to microplastic exposure.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 73 citations
Article Tier 2

Oral exposure to high concentrations of polystyrene microplastics alters the intestinal environment and metabolic outcomes in mice

In a mouse study, oral exposure to high concentrations of polystyrene microplastics caused fatty liver disease and abnormal blood lipid levels even without prior gut leakiness. The microplastics triggered intestinal inflammation through immune cells, disrupted gut bacteria, and altered how the body processes nutrients. These results suggest that swallowing microplastics could contribute to metabolic problems and liver disease in humans.

2024 Frontiers in Immunology 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Impacts of polystyrene microplastic on the gut barrier, microbiota and metabolism of mice

Researchers exposed mice to polystyrene microplastics for six weeks and found that the particles accumulated in the gut, reduced protective mucus secretion, and damaged the intestinal barrier. The microplastics also significantly altered the composition of gut bacteria, decreasing beneficial species and increasing harmful ones. The study suggests that microplastic ingestion could disrupt gut health in mammals by simultaneously impairing the physical barrier and reshaping the microbiome.

2018 The Science of The Total Environment 986 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics exposure: Disruption of intestinal barrier integrity and hepatic function in infant mice

Researchers found that even low concentrations of polystyrene microplastics caused significant gut barrier damage and liver injury in infant mice. The microplastics disrupted the intestinal lining, allowed particles to leak into the bloodstream, and triggered liver fat accumulation and altered gut bacteria colonization. The study raises concerns about microplastic exposure during early life, when developing digestive and liver systems may be especially vulnerable.

2024 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Hepatotoxic of polystyrene microplastics in aged mice: Focus on the role of gastrointestinal transformation and AMPK/FoxO pathway

This study found that polystyrene microplastics caused liver damage in aged mice, with the particles undergoing chemical changes as they passed through the digestive system that may have made them more harmful. The microplastics disrupted key metabolic pathways in the liver, triggered inflammation, and caused DNA damage through oxidative stress. The findings are especially concerning because older individuals may be more vulnerable to the liver-damaging effects of microplastic exposure.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Hepatic and metabolic outcomes induced by sub-chronic exposure to polystyrene microplastics in mice

Researchers studied the effects of sub-chronic polystyrene microplastic exposure on mouse livers using multiple analytical approaches. They found that microplastics accumulated in liver tissue and caused inflammation, oxidative stress, and disruption of normal metabolic processes including lipid and amino acid metabolism. The study suggests that prolonged microplastic ingestion may pose significant risks to liver health.

2024 Archives of Toxicology 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene Microplastics Induce Oxidative Stress in Mouse Hepatocytes in Relation to Their Size

Researchers exposed mouse liver cells to polystyrene microplastics of different sizes and found that smaller particles caused more oxidative stress and damage than larger ones. The microplastics disrupted protective antioxidant systems and increased harmful reactive oxygen species inside the cells. This suggests that the smallest microplastic particles may pose the greatest risk to liver health because they can enter cells more easily and cause more internal damage.

2023 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 63 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics induce gut microbiota dysbiosis and hepatic lipid metabolism disorder in mice

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.

2018 The Science of The Total Environment 966 citations
Article Tier 2

Influence of Microplastics on Morphological Manifestations of Experimental Acute Colitis

Researchers fed polystyrene microplastics to mice for six weeks and found that healthy mice developed changes in their colon lining, including altered mucus composition and immune cell populations. When mice with experimentally induced colitis also consumed microplastics, their intestinal inflammation was significantly more severe. The study suggests that microplastic exposure may worsen inflammatory bowel conditions.

2023 Toxics 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Proinflammatory properties and lipid disturbance of polystyrene microplastics in the livers of mice with acute colitis

Researchers studied the effects of polystyrene microplastics on the livers of mice fed a high-fat diet and found that the particles triggered significant inflammatory responses and disrupted lipid metabolism. The microplastics worsened fat accumulation in the liver and activated inflammatory signaling pathways. The findings suggest that microplastic exposure combined with a high-fat diet may amplify liver damage and metabolic disturbances.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 202 citations
Article Tier 2

Cellular and bioenergetic effects of polystyrene microplastic in function of cell type, differentiation status and post-exposure time

Researchers tested polystyrene microplastics on human lung, colon, and liver cells and found that even a single exposure had lasting effects on cell energy production and caused oxidative stress that continued for 12 days after exposure ended. Colon cells were particularly affected, showing signs of mitochondrial dysfunction long after the initial contact with microplastics. These findings suggest that microplastic exposure through food could cause sustained damage to intestinal cells even after the particles have passed through the body.

2023 Environmental Pollution 41 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of the Oral Administration of Polystyrene Microplastics on Hepatic Lipid, Glucose, and Amino Acid Metabolism in C57BL/6Korl and C57BL/6-Lepem1hwl/Korl Mice

Researchers investigated the effects of orally administered polystyrene microplastics on liver metabolism in normal and obese mice over eight weeks. They found that microplastic exposure altered lipid, glucose, and amino acid metabolism pathways in the liver and adipose tissues. The study suggests that microplastic ingestion may disrupt hepatic metabolic functions, with potentially different impacts depending on baseline metabolic health status.

2024 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Inflammatory response in the mid colon of ICR mice treated with polystyrene microplastics for two weeks

Researchers found that two weeks of oral polystyrene microplastic exposure in ICR mice induced an inflammatory response specifically in the mid colon, suggesting microplastics may contribute to colonic inflammation.

2021 Laboratory Animal Research 42 citations
Article Tier 2

Long-term exposure to polystyrene microplastics induces hepatotoxicity by altering lipid signatures in C57BL/6J mice

Researchers exposed mice to tiny polystyrene particles for 16 weeks and found the plastics accumulated in their livers, disrupting fat metabolism and energy production. The microplastics altered lipid profiles and interfered with key enzymes involved in cellular energy cycles. The study suggests that long-term microplastic exposure may contribute to liver damage through metabolic disruption.

2023 Chemosphere 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Environmentally Relevant Concentrations of Microplastic Exposure Cause Cholestasis and Bile Acid Metabolism Dysregulation through a Gut-Liver Loop in Mice

Mice exposed to environmentally realistic levels of polystyrene microplastics for 30 days developed damaged intestinal barriers, liver injury, and disrupted bile acid metabolism. The study revealed a gut-liver feedback loop where microplastics alter gut bacteria, which changes bile acid production, which in turn causes further liver damage, suggesting a mechanism by which everyday microplastic exposure could harm digestive health.

2024 Environmental Science & Technology 69 citations
Article Tier 2

Morphological features of the internal organs in mice after prolonged microplastics consumption

Researchers fed mice polystyrene microplastics at three dose levels for four weeks and found dose-dependent morphological changes restricted to the spleen and colon, including inflammatory infiltration and alterations in mucin-secreting goblet cells, while other organs showed no significant pathological changes.

2023 CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL MORPHOLOGY 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Adverse effects of pristine and aged polystyrene microplastics in mice and their Nrf2-mediated defense mechanisms with tissue specificity

Researchers exposed mice to pristine and UV-aged polystyrene microplastics via intratracheal instillation and found structural damage to the gut, liver, spleen, and testis. Aged microplastics caused greater functional damage than pristine particles, including increased liver enzymes and cholesterol, reduced antioxidant capacity, and tissue-specific activation of the Nrf2 defense pathway.

2023 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of Polystyrene Microplastics Exposure on Blood Parameters in Mice

Researchers exposed mice to polystyrene microplastics in drinking water over four weeks and found increased white blood cell counts, elevated liver enzymes indicating hepatic injury, and altered kidney function markers. The study suggests that subchronic oral microplastic exposure induces inflammatory responses and disrupts liver and kidney function, with no significant recovery observed after a two-week withdrawal period.

2026 Preprints.org
Article Tier 2

Disturbed Gut-Liver axis indicating oral exposure to polystyrene microplastic potentially increases the risk of insulin resistance

Researchers found that oral exposure to polystyrene microplastics in mice disrupted the gut-liver axis, causing intestinal inflammation and liver metabolic dysfunction that together increased the risk of insulin resistance. The study showed that microplastics damaged the intestinal barrier, allowing harmful substances to reach the liver and trigger metabolic disturbances. These findings suggest a potential pathway by which microplastic ingestion could contribute to metabolic health problems.

2022 Environment International 189 citations
Article Tier 2

Dose‐Dependent Toxicological Effects of Polyvinyl Chloride and Polystyrene Microplastics on Wistar Albino Rats

Researchers fed rats PVC and polystyrene microplastics at different doses for eight weeks and observed significant changes including weight loss, elevated blood glucose, increased cholesterol and liver enzymes, and signs of oxidative stress. The study suggests that oral microplastic exposure at these levels can cause dose-dependent toxicological effects across multiple organ systems in mammals.

2026 Journal of Applied Toxicology
Article Tier 2

Dose-dependent alteration in hepatic and cerebral glucose metabolism following exposure to polystyrene microplastic in Wistar rats

Researchers exposed Wistar rats to polystyrene microplastics and observed dose-dependent changes in glucose metabolism in both the liver and brain. The study suggests that microplastic exposure may disrupt normal metabolic processes, with higher doses leading to more pronounced alterations in hepatic and cerebral glucose handling.

2024 INDIAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY AND ALLIED SCIENCES 3 citations
Clinical Trial Tier 1

Effect of Polystyrene Nanoplastic on Colon, Liver, and Spleen Histopathology of Rats (Rattus norvegicus L.)

This study exposed rats to different concentrations of polystyrene nanoplastics and examined the effects on their colon, liver, and spleen. The results showed tissue damage including inflammation and cell death in all three organs, with higher concentrations causing more severe effects. These findings suggest that nanoplastics small enough to enter the body can cause organ-level damage, raising concerns about long-term human exposure.

2025 LenteraBio Berkala Ilmiah Biologi
Article Tier 2

The impact of microplastics polystyrene on the microscopic structure of mouse intestine, tight junction genes and gut microbiota

In a mouse study, polystyrene microplastics damaged the intestinal lining by reducing the height and surface area of gut structures and turning down genes responsible for keeping the gut barrier sealed. The microplastics also reduced the diversity of gut bacteria, with female mice showing more pronounced changes than males, suggesting that microplastic exposure may weaken the gut wall and shift the microbiome in ways that could affect overall health.

2024 PLoS ONE 29 citations