Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Impact of plastic-related compounds on the gene expression signature of HepG2 cells transfected with CYP3A4

Researchers investigated how plastic-related compounds affect gene expression in human liver cells engineered to express the CYP3A4 enzyme, which is critical for metabolizing foreign substances in the body. They found that exposure to plastics and their chemical additives altered the expression patterns of genes involved in xenobiotic metabolism. The study suggests that microplastics and associated compounds entering the human body could interfere with normal liver enzyme function, raising concerns about long-term metabolic effects.

2023 Archives of Toxicology 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses to decipher the regulatory mechanisms of polystyrene nanoplastic-induced metabolic disorders in hepatocytes

Using combined transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis, this study found that polystyrene nanoplastics disrupt lipid and amino acid metabolism in hepatocytes, identifying key regulatory genes and providing data relevant to assessing health risks from nanoplastic exposure.

2025 Environmental Science Nano
Article Tier 2

Data mining of molecular data resulting from environmental exposure to xenobiotics

Researchers characterized the multi-layer gene expression response of human airway and liver cells exposed to polystyrene microplastics across multiple doses and time points. They found thousands of differentially expressed genes along with extensive reprogramming of gene isoforms, affecting protein coding capacity and RNA stability. The study demonstrates that microplastic exposure triggers a structured, dose- and time-dependent remodeling of cellular gene expression programs in human tissue models.

2026 IRIS Research product catalog (Sapienza University of Rome)
Meta Analysis Tier 1

The Expectation and Reality of the HepG2 Core Metabolic Profile

This meta-analysis of 56 metabolomic datasets identified 288 core metabolites in HepG2 liver cells, revealing significant gaps and inconsistencies in how metabolomic studies report and standardize their findings. While focused on cell biology methodology rather than microplastics, HepG2 cells are commonly used in toxicology studies to assess the effects of microplastic exposure on liver function.

2023 Metabolites 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Environmentally relevant UV-light weathering of polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics promotes hepatotoxicity in a human cell line

Researchers found that UV-weathered polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations induced hepatotoxicity in human liver cells and caused significant changes in gene expression related to liver disease pathways.

2023 Environmental Science Nano 9 citations
Article Tier 2

PET microplastics alter the transcriptome profile and oxidative stress markers in the liver of immature piglets: an in vivo study

Researchers fed immature piglets PET microplastics for four weeks and examined the effects on their livers. They found that microplastic exposure altered gene expression patterns related to metabolism and immune response, and increased markers of oxidative stress in the liver. The study suggests that even relatively short-term microplastic ingestion may disrupt liver function at the molecular level.

2025 Archives of Toxicology 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Chronic exposure to polyvinyl chloride microplastics induces liver injury and gut microbiota dysbiosis based on the integration of liver transcriptome profiles and full-length 16S rRNA sequencing data

Researchers exposed mice to polyvinyl chloride microplastics for 60 days and found significant liver damage accompanied by changes in gut bacteria composition. Gene expression analysis revealed that the liver injury involved inflammatory and metabolic pathways, while the gut microbiome shifted toward disease-associated bacterial profiles. The study suggests a connection between chronic microplastic exposure, gut health disruption, and liver toxicity.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 112 citations
Article Tier 2

An In Vitro Assay to Quantify Effects of Micro- and Nano-Plastics on Human Gene Transcription

Researchers developed an in vitro assay to quantify how micro- and nano-plastics affect human gene transcription, demonstrating that internalized plastic particles can alter gene expression patterns in human cells, providing a standardized tool for assessing plastic particle toxicity.

2023 Microplastics 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Transcriptome Sequencing and Metabolite Analysis Revealed the Single and Combined Effects of Microplastics and Di-(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate on Mouse Liver

Mice exposed to microplastics, the plasticizer DEHP, or both together showed liver damage including oxidative stress, cell death, and disrupted metabolism. The combined exposure was worse than either pollutant alone, activating cancer-related genes and impairing the liver's ability to process fats and amino acids. Since DEHP is commonly found alongside microplastics in the environment, these findings suggest that real-world exposure to contaminated plastics could pose a greater liver health risk than previously estimated.

2025 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of environmental microplastic exposure on HepG2 cells: unraveling proliferation, mitochondrial dynamics and autophagy activation

Lab experiments on human liver cells found that exposure to common microplastics (polyethylene and PET) increased cell growth but also triggered oxidative stress, damaged mitochondria (the cell's energy centers), and activated autophagy -- a process where cells try to clean up internal damage. These findings suggest that microplastics may disrupt normal liver cell function in ways that could have long-term health consequences.

2025 Particle and Fibre Toxicology 11 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

Toxicity of microplastics and plastic additive co-exposure in liver Disse organoids from healthy donors and patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells

Researchers biofabricated liver Disse-like organoids from both healthy donor cells and patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) to investigate the combined toxicity of microplastics and plastic additives, which typically co-exist in the environment as complexes that enter human blood circulation. The organoid model revealed that microplastic and additive co-exposure increased risks of steatohepatitis-related pathological responses in hepatic tissue.

2022 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined effect of polystyrene microplastics and bisphenol A on the human embryonic stem cells-derived liver organoids: The hepatotoxicity and lipid accumulation

Researchers used human stem cell-derived liver organoids to study the combined toxic effects of polystyrene microplastics and the plasticizer bisphenol A. The study found that co-exposure produced enhanced hepatotoxicity and lipid accumulation compared to individual exposures, with changes in markers related to oxidative stress, inflammation, and energy metabolism in the liver tissue model.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 72 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 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

Polystyrene microplastic exposure disturbs hepatic glycolipid metabolism at the physiological, biochemical, and transcriptomic levels in adult zebrafish

Researchers exposed adult zebrafish to polystyrene microplastics for 21 days and examined effects on liver metabolism at multiple biological levels. The study found that microplastic exposure caused significant decreases in body weight and disrupted glycolipid metabolism, with reduced levels of key metabolic enzymes and gene expression changes in the liver. Transcriptomic analysis confirmed widespread downregulation of genes related to fatty acid, amino acid, and carbon metabolism.

2019 The Science of The Total Environment 237 citations
Article Tier 2

Multi-Omics Analysis Reveals the Toxicity of Polyvinyl Chloride Microplastics toward BEAS-2B Cells

Researchers used advanced gene and metabolite analysis to reveal how PVC microplastics damage human lung cells. Exposure altered the expression of 530 genes and nearly 4,000 metabolites, particularly disrupting fat metabolism pathways and activating inflammatory stress responses. These findings are important because airborne PVC microplastics are common in indoor and outdoor environments, and the study reveals specific biological pathways through which inhaled microplastics could contribute to lung disease.

2024 Toxics 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxic effects of polyethylene microplastics on transcriptional changes, biochemical response, and oxidative stress in common carp (Cyprinus carpio)

Researchers exposed common carp to varying concentrations of polyethylene microplastics and assessed biochemical, oxidative, and gene expression changes. The study found that microplastic exposure caused significant oxidative stress, altered liver enzyme activity, and modified the expression of stress-related genes in a dose-dependent manner.

2022 Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C Toxicology & Pharmacology 72 citations
Article Tier 2

Molecular LandscapeRemodeling Unravels the Cross-Linksof Microplastics-Induced Lipidomic Fluctuations,Nutrient Disorders and Energy Disarrangements

This study examined how polypropylene microplastics accumulate in and damage the mouse liver, using integrated lipidomics and transcriptomics to map the molecular landscape of microplastic-induced lipid disruption and metabolic dysfunction.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Effects of polystyrene microbeads on cytotoxicity and transcriptomic profiles in human Caco‐2 cells

Polystyrene microbeads reduced viability of human intestinal Caco-2 cells in a dose-dependent manner and altered expression of 442 genes, including pathways related to metabolic processes and cellular stress. The transcriptomic findings reveal molecular mechanisms by which microplastics may harm human gut cells.

2019 Environmental Toxicology 121 citations