Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Untargeted lipidomics uncover hepatic lipid signatures induced by long-term exposure to polystyrene microplastics in vivo

Researchers exposed rats to polystyrene microplastics over 6 and 12 months and used advanced lipid profiling to assess liver damage. They found that long-term exposure caused liver inflammation, fatty liver changes, and significant alterations in eight key lipid metabolites involved in fat processing. The study provides evidence that chronic microplastic exposure can disrupt liver lipid metabolism, raising concerns about long-term health effects.

2024 Toxicology Letters 7 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

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

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

Chronic environmental exposure to polystyrene microplastics increases the risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

A mouse study found that long-term exposure to polystyrene microplastics increased the risk of developing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The microplastics accumulated in the liver and disrupted fat metabolism, causing inflammation and liver damage, which is concerning because most previous studies only looked at short-term exposure effects.

2025 Toxicology 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Disruption of hepatic metabolism in Lep KO mice.

Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics administered orally for nine weeks accumulated in liver tissue of leptin-knockout obese mice and induced histopathological liver alterations, including disruption of hepatic lipid, glucose, and amino acid metabolism.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Lipidomics and transcriptomics insight into impacts of microplastics exposure on hepatic lipid metabolism in mice

Researchers used lipidomics and transcriptomics to examine how polystyrene microplastic exposure affects liver lipid metabolism in mice over eight weeks. The study found that while body weight and serum lipid levels were not significantly affected, microplastics caused impaired glucose metabolism and specific changes in hepatic lipid profiles, revealing subtle but measurable disruptions to liver function.

2022 Chemosphere 70 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics induce hepatic lipid metabolism and energy disorder by upregulating the NR4A1-AMPK signaling pathway

Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics accumulate in the liver and disrupt fat and energy metabolism by activating a specific molecular pathway called NR4A1-AMPK. This activation triggers a self-cleaning process called autophagy that reduces fat production in liver cells, while also increasing harmful reactive oxygen species. The findings suggest that long-term microplastic exposure could lead to ongoing liver damage through this metabolic disruption.

2025 Environmental Pollution 21 citations
Article Tier 2

[The effect and mechanism of exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics on lipid metabolism in mice liver].

Researchers exposed mice to 20 nm polystyrene nanoplastics and investigated the effects on hepatic lipid metabolism using multi-omics approaches. Nanoplastic exposure disrupted lipid metabolic pathways in the liver, causing significant changes in lipid accumulation and related gene expression, suggesting a mechanism by which nanoplastic ingestion may contribute to metabolic disorders.

2024 PubMed
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics induce liver fibrosis and lipid deposition in mice through three hub genes revealed by the RNA-seq

A mouse study revealed that long-term exposure to polystyrene microplastics of different sizes caused liver scarring (fibrosis) and abnormal fat buildup in the liver. Genetic analysis identified three key genes driving this damage, with smaller microplastics causing more severe effects, providing new insight into how microplastic exposure may contribute to chronic liver disease.

2025 Scientific Reports 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Large polystyrene microplastics results in hepatic lipotoxicity in mice

Researchers found that long-term exposure to large polystyrene microplastics (40-100 micrometers) caused hepatic lipid metabolism disruption and lipotoxicity in mice, demonstrating that even large microplastics that do not accumulate in tissues can still cause significant liver damage.

2023 Environmental Pollution 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics induce hepatotoxicity and disrupt lipid metabolism in the liver organoids

Using lab-grown human liver organoids, researchers showed that polystyrene microplastics caused liver cell damage even at concentrations found in the environment. The microplastics disrupted fat metabolism, increased harmful reactive oxygen species, and triggered inflammation in the liver tissue. This study provides early evidence that microplastic exposure could contribute to liver problems like fatty liver disease in humans.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 279 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

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

Integrated transcriptomics and metabolomics reveal the mechanism of polystyrene nanoplastics toxicity to mice

Researchers used gene expression and metabolic profiling to understand how polystyrene nanoplastics harm mice at the molecular level, finding disrupted energy metabolism, fat processing, and amino acid pathways in the liver. These molecular changes suggest that nanoplastic exposure could contribute to metabolic disorders, with effects becoming more severe at higher doses.

2024 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Tissue accumulation of microplastics in mice and biomarker responses suggest widespread health risks of exposure

Researchers fed mice polystyrene microplastics of two sizes and tracked where the particles accumulated in the body, finding them in the liver, kidneys, and gut with distribution patterns depending on particle size. Biochemical analysis revealed that microplastic exposure disrupted energy and fat metabolism, caused oxidative stress, and altered markers of neurotoxicity in the blood. The study provides evidence that microplastics can accumulate in mammalian tissues and may pose widespread health risks.

2017 Scientific Reports 1354 citations
Article Tier 2

Untargeted metabolomics and transcriptomics joint analysis of the effects of polystyrene nanoplastics on lipid metabolism in the mouse liver

Mice exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics for 12 weeks gained weight without eating more and showed increased cholesterol levels and fat accumulation in their livers. Gene and metabolite analysis revealed that the nanoplastics disrupted fat metabolism pathways in the liver, essentially reprogramming how the body processes and stores fat. These findings suggest that nanoplastic exposure could be a hidden factor contributing to obesity and fatty liver disease in humans.

2025 Lipids in Health and Disease 5 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

Molecular Landscape Remodeling Unravels the Cross-Links of Microplastics-Induced Lipidomic Fluctuations, Nutrient Disorders and Energy Disarrangements

Researchers fed mice polypropylene microplastics chronically and used lipidomics and transcriptomics to show that microplastics accumulated in the liver and disrupted lipid metabolism, cholesterol homeostasis, and redox balance, with high doses causing fibrotic liver changes.

2025 Environment & Health
Article Tier 2

Chronic Waterborne Exposure to Polystyrene Microplastics Induces Kupffer Cell Polarization Imbalance and Hepatic Lipid Accumulation

Researchers found that long-term exposure to polystyrene microplastics in drinking water caused significant fat accumulation in the livers of mice over 9 to 12 weeks. The microplastics triggered an imbalance in immune cells in the liver called Kupffer cells, shifting them toward a pro-inflammatory state. The study identifies a specific signaling pathway through which microplastics may disrupt fat metabolism and contribute to liver problems.

2025 The FASEB Journal 2 citations