Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Exploring the micro- and nanoplastics–diabetes nexus: Shattered barriers, toxic links, and methodological horizons

This review examines growing evidence that micro- and nanoplastics may contribute to diabetes by disrupting blood sugar regulation, insulin signaling, and fat metabolism through oxidative stress and inflammation. Animal studies show that plastic particles can damage the pancreas, liver, and gut in ways that mirror the development of diabetes, though human studies are still limited. The review calls for more research into whether everyday microplastic exposure could be a hidden factor in the global rise of metabolic diseases.

2025 Environmental Pollution 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution: A potent threat for metabolic disruption in mammals

This review examines the evidence linking microplastic exposure to metabolic disruption, covering mechanisms by which microplastics and their associated chemical additives may interfere with hormonal regulation, glucose metabolism, and lipid homeostasis. The authors identify microplastics as a potent emerging threat to metabolic health.

2024 INDIAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY AND ALLIED SCIENCES
Review Tier 2

Cellular mechanisms of microplastic and nanoparticle exposure and its relationship with metabolic diseases: Literature review

This literature review examined how microplastic and nanoparticle exposure affects cellular mechanisms related to metabolic disease, finding evidence that these contaminants disrupt insulin signaling, alter lipid metabolism, and may contribute to the development of metabolic syndrome.

2025 Biological Environment and Pollution
Article Tier 2

Mixtures of polystyrene micro and nanoplastics affects fat and glucose metabolism in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and zebrafish larvae

Exposure to a mixture of micro- and nanoplastics increased fat production and impaired the body's ability to use insulin and process sugar in both cell and zebrafish experiments. The plastic mixture triggered inflammation, boosted fat-storing genes, and suppressed insulin signaling pathways. These findings suggest that microplastic exposure could contribute to obesity and type 2 diabetes.

2025 NanoImpact 11 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Adverse Effects of Nanoplastics Administration on the Metabolic Profile and Glucose Control in Mice

This systematic review examines how nanoplastic exposure in mice affects metabolism and blood sugar control. The findings suggest that ingesting nanoplastics may disrupt metabolic processes and glucose regulation in mammals, raising concerns about potential links between everyday plastic exposure and metabolic health conditions like diabetes in humans.

2025 Current Developments in Nutrition 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Adipose tissue as target of environmental toxicants: focus on mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative inflammation in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease

This review examines how environmental toxicants, including micro and nanoplastics, target fat tissue and contribute to metabolic diseases like obesity, diabetes, and fatty liver disease. These pollutants disrupt mitochondria (the energy-producing parts of cells) and trigger a cycle of oxidative stress and inflammation that damages both fat tissue and the liver. The findings suggest that microplastic exposure could be one of several environmental factors contributing to the rising rates of metabolic disease worldwide.

2024 Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Mechanisms of microplastics on gastrointestinal injury and liver metabolism disorder (Review)

This review summarizes how microplastics and nanoplastics can damage the gastrointestinal tract and disrupt liver metabolism when they enter the human body. The particles trigger oxidative stress, inflammation, and cell death in gut tissues, and can interfere with how the liver processes glucose and fats. As plastics continue to break down into ever-smaller particles, the potential for harm increases because nanoplastics can penetrate cells more easily.

2025 Molecular Medicine Reports 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Are microplastics in food a risk factor for obesity: Current evidence, mechanistic pathways and emerging health risks associated with human exposure

This review examines the emerging evidence linking microplastic and nanoplastic exposure to metabolic dysfunction and potential obesity risk. Researchers found that these particles have been detected in multiple human tissues and may contribute to inflammation, hormonal disruption, gut microbiome changes, and altered fat cell development. While animal and laboratory studies support a plausible connection, the study notes that direct evidence in humans is still limited and further research is needed.

2026
Article Tier 2

Environmental Insults to Glucose Metabolism: The Role of Pollutants in Insulin Resistance

This review examines how environmental pollutants, including microplastics, contribute to insulin resistance, a condition where the body's cells respond poorly to insulin. Researchers summarize evidence linking pollutant exposure to disruptions in glucose and lipid metabolism through mechanisms like oxidative stress and inflammation. The study suggests that environmental contamination may be an underrecognized factor in the growing prevalence of metabolic conditions such as type 2 diabetes.

2025 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics induce glycolipid metabolism disorder via NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathway in mice

Researchers fed mice polystyrene nanoplastics and found that the particles disrupted the animals' ability to regulate blood sugar and fat metabolism. The nanoplastics triggered oxidative stress and inflammation in the liver, activating signaling pathways that led to insulin resistance and abnormal fat accumulation. The study provides evidence that nanoplastic exposure may contribute to metabolic disorders through specific molecular mechanisms involving the NF-kB and MAPK pathways.

2023 Journal of Environmental Sciences 38 citations
Article Tier 2

New Insights into the Relationship Between Microplastics and Diabetes from the Perspective of the Gut–Liver Axis and Macrophage Regulation

This review paper summarizes research suggesting that tiny plastic particles (microplastics) we're exposed to from the environment might increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The studies show microplastics could damage the gut, trigger inflammation, and disrupt how the body processes sugar, though this evidence comes mainly from animal studies rather than human research. While more human studies are needed to confirm these effects, the findings suggest reducing plastic pollution could be important for preventing diabetes and other metabolic diseases.

2026 Toxics
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and nanoplastics: Emerging drivers of hepatic pathogenesis and metabolic dysfunction

This review examines emerging evidence linking micro- and nanoplastic exposure to liver disease, including metabolic dysfunction-associated liver disease, cirrhosis, and liver cancer. Researchers found that these particles may contribute to liver damage through oxidative stress, inflammation, and disruption of metabolic pathways. The study highlights the need for further research into how environmental plastic contamination may be influencing the rising rates of liver disease worldwide.

2025 Hepatology forum/Hepatology forum (Online) 1 citations
Article Tier 2

The Hidden Dangers of Plastic Use in the Food Industry: Implications for Diabetes and Public Health

This review examines health risks from plastic use in food processing and packaging, documenting how microplastics, nanoplastics, and endocrine-disrupting chemicals leach from food contact materials into food and may contribute to immune dysfunction, metabolic disorders, and diabetes risk.

2025 Global Journal of Health Sciences
Systematic Review Tier 1

Micro- and nanoplastic impact on insulin resistance and related metabolic disorder in rodents: A systematic review

This systematic review examined whether micro- and nanoplastics contribute to insulin resistance in animal studies. The findings suggest that polystyrene plastic particles can disrupt how the body processes sugar and responds to insulin, pointing to a possible link between plastic exposure and metabolic disorders like type 2 diabetes.

2025 Open Science Framework
Article Tier 2

Impact of Microplastic Exposure on Blood Glucose Levels and Gut Microbiota: Differential Effects under Normal or High-Fat Diet Conditions

Mice exposed to polystyrene microplastics showed changes in blood sugar levels and gut bacteria, with the effects being worse when combined with a high-fat diet. The microplastics disrupted the balance of beneficial gut bacteria and increased markers associated with type 2 diabetes. This study suggests that microplastic exposure could contribute to blood sugar problems in people, especially those who already eat an unhealthy diet.

2024 Metabolites 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Maternal microplastic exposure during pregnancy and risk of gestational diabetes mellitus associated with gut dysbiosis

Researchers reviewed evidence linking microplastic exposure during pregnancy to gestational diabetes, with additives in microplastics acting as endocrine disruptors that interfere with insulin signaling and disrupt the gut microbiome. The findings suggest that microplastic ingestion may contribute to blood sugar dysregulation in pregnant women, with implications for both mother and fetal health.

2023 Medicine in Microecology 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Deciphering the Role of the Gut Microbiota in Exposure to Emerging Contaminants and Diabetes: A Review

This review explores the connection between exposure to emerging environmental contaminants, including microplastics and nanoplastics, and disruptions to gut microbiota that may influence glucose metabolism and diabetes risk. Researchers found that these pollutants can alter the composition and function of gut microbial communities through multiple mechanisms. The study suggests that the gut microbiome may be a key pathway through which environmental contaminants affect metabolic health.

2024 Metabolites 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro- and nanoplastic toxicity in humans: Exposure pathways, cellular effects, and mitigation strategies

This review examines how micro- and nanoplastics enter the body through food, air, and skin, then accumulate in organs where they trigger oxidative stress, inflammation, cell death, and genetic damage. These effects have been linked to chronic conditions like diabetes, obesity, immune dysfunction, and brain diseases, and the review highlights promising countermeasures including advanced filtration, bioremediation, and protective compounds like melatonin and probiotics.

2025 Toxicology Reports 34 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

A review of environmental metabolism disrupting chemicals and effect biomarkers associating disease risks: Where exposomics meets metabolomics

This review examines how environmental chemicals, including contaminants associated with plastics, can disrupt human metabolism and contribute to conditions like obesity and diabetes. Researchers mapped the connections between chemical exposure and changes in metabolic biomarkers that signal disease risk. The study highlights the emerging field of metabolism-disrupting chemicals and the importance of understanding how everyday environmental exposures influence long-term metabolic health.

2021 Environment International 175 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

Impact of microplastics and nanoplastics on liver health: Current understanding and future research directions

This review summarizes what scientists know about how micro- and nanoplastics affect the liver, which is one of the first organs exposed because it processes everything absorbed from the gut. The particles trigger oxidative stress, disrupt energy metabolism, cause cell death, and promote inflammation, and may contribute to conditions like fatty liver disease and liver fibrosis. The paper also highlights how plastics can disturb the gut microbiome, which communicates with the liver through the gut-liver axis and may amplify liver damage.

2024 World Journal of Gastroenterology 32 citations
Article Tier 2

Emerging Contaminants: An Emerging Risk Factor for Diabetes Mellitus

This review examines how emerging environmental contaminants, including microplastics and nanoplastics, may contribute to the development and progression of diabetes. These contaminants can disrupt glucose metabolism through oxidative stress, inflammation, and interference with hormone signaling. The findings suggest that chronic exposure to microplastics and other pollutants in food and water could be an overlooked risk factor for the growing global diabetes epidemic.

2024 Toxics 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparative Analysisof Metabolic Dysfunctions Associatedwith Pristine and Aged Polyethylene Microplastic Exposure via theLiver-Gut Axis in Mice

Researchers fed mice low doses of pristine and aged polyethylene microplastics for several weeks and analyzed changes in blood metabolites, liver proteins, and gut bacteria. Both forms caused lipid metabolism disruptions and reduced beneficial gut bacteria, with aged microplastics showing greater toxicity linked to changes in fatty acid processing enzymes.

2025 Figshare