Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Gut-lung microbiota dynamics in mice exposed to Nanoplastics

Researchers gave mice PET nanoplastics orally for 28 days and analyzed the microbiome in their lungs, colon, mouth, and stool. While gut and oral bacteria were relatively unchanged, the lung microbiome showed significant shifts, including increases in bacteria associated with respiratory inflammation. The findings suggest a gut-lung connection where ingested nanoplastics may influence lung microbial communities even when gut bacteria appear unaffected.

2024 NanoImpact 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics exposed by respiratory tract and exacerbation of community-acquired pneumonia: The potential influences of respiratory microbiota and inflammatory factors

Researchers found that microplastics were present in the lungs of pneumonia patients, and that patients with severe pneumonia had higher levels of microplastics in their airways than those with milder cases. The microplastics appeared to worsen lung infections by disrupting the balance of airway bacteria and increasing inflammation. This study provides early evidence that inhaled microplastics may make respiratory infections more dangerous in humans.

2025 Environment International 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of combined exposure to heavy metals on lower respiratory flora and its role of lung injury in rats

Researchers found that combined exposure to nickel, copper, and arsenic disrupted the natural microbial communities in the lower respiratory tract of rats and caused lung damage. The heavy metal mixture altered the balance of beneficial and harmful bacteria in the airways, which was linked to impaired lung function. The findings highlight how environmental exposure to multiple metals simultaneously may harm respiratory health by disrupting the lung's natural microbiome.

2025 Frontiers in Microbiology 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Breathing plastics: Influence of airborne microplastics on the respiratory microbiome and health of human lungs (Review)

Researchers reviewed evidence showing that inhaled airborne microplastics can physically interact with the microbial community living in human lungs, disrupting its balance and triggering inflammation linked to conditions like asthma and fibrosis. Because microplastic particles have been found in lung tissue and fluid samples, inhalation is now recognized as a significant exposure route with measurable consequences for respiratory health.

2026 World Academy of Sciences Journal
Article Tier 2

Detrimental effects of microplastic exposure on normal and asthmatic pulmonary physiology

Researchers exposed both healthy and asthmatic mice to airborne microplastics and found significant lung inflammation, immune activation, and increased mucus production in both groups. Microplastic particles were taken up by immune cells called macrophages, and gene analysis revealed changes in immune response, cellular stress, and cell death pathways. The study suggests that inhaling microplastics may worsen respiratory health in both normal and vulnerable populations.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 207 citations
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastics Chronic Toxicity in Mice: Disturbing the Homeostasis of Tryptophan Metabolism in Gut‐Lung‐Microbiota Axis

Researchers studied how long-term nanoplastic exposure affects mice and found it caused inflammation in the colon and scarring in lung tissue by disrupting a key amino acid metabolism pathway connecting the gut and lungs. They discovered that a beneficial gut bacterium called Akkermansia muciniphila was depleted after exposure, and restoring it helped reduce the damage. The study suggests that supporting healthy gut bacteria may be a strategy for mitigating the harmful effects of nanoplastic exposure.

2025 Small 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Mechanisms underlying Th2-dominant pneumonia caused by plastic pollution derivatives (PPD): A molecular toxicology investigation that encompasses gut microbiomics and lung metabolomics

In a mouse study, exposure to dibutyl phthalate (a plastic additive) and polystyrene microplastics for five weeks caused pneumonia-like lung damage, increased oxidative stress, and triggered inflammation. The researchers found that these plastic pollution byproducts caused a specific type of immune response that leads to eosinophilic inflammation in the airways, connected through the gut-lung axis. The findings suggest that everyday exposure to plastic-derived chemicals and particles could contribute to respiratory disease.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Inhaled Microplastics Inhibit Tissue Maintenance Functions of Pulmonary Macrophages

Researchers found that inhaled microplastics accumulate in lung macrophages, the immune cells responsible for cleaning and maintaining lung tissue, and significantly impair their normal functions. The microplastic-laden macrophages showed reduced ability to perform tissue maintenance tasks that are essential for lung health. The study provides evidence that breathing in microplastics could compromise the lung's built-in defense and repair systems, with potential implications for respiratory health.

2025 American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic-Induced Macrophage Dysfunction Drives Lung Tumor Progression through Glutathione Imbalance

Researchers found that microplastics trigger a cascade of immune dysfunction in macrophages through toll-like receptor signaling, leading to disrupted glutathione metabolism and macrophage cell death via ferroptosis. In tumor-bearing mice, orally ingested microplastics accumulated in the lungs and remodeled the immune microenvironment over time, with increased infiltration of inflammatory macrophages and impaired lymphocyte function accompanying greater tumor burden.

2026 ACS Nano
Article Tier 2

Airborne polystyrene microplastics and nanoplastics induce nasal and lung microbial dysbiosis in mice

Researchers found that airborne polystyrene microplastics and nanoplastics can induce microbial dysbiosis in the nasal passages and lungs of mice. The study showed that both micro- and nanoplastics altered airway microbiota composition, with microplastics having a stronger influence on lung bacterial communities, suggesting that inhaled plastic particles may disrupt respiratory microbial balance.

2022 Chemosphere 77 citations
Article Tier 2

Inhaled microplastics and lung health: Immunopathological effects and disease implications

This review examines the molecular mechanisms by which inhaled microplastics damage lung health, focusing on oxidative stress, inflammation, and immune disruption. Researchers found that microplastics trigger reactive oxygen species production, deplete antioxidants, impair mitochondrial function, and compromise immune defenses in lung tissue. The evidence indicates that microplastics may also act as carriers for other toxic pollutants, amplifying respiratory health risks.

2025 Food Bioscience 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics, potential threat to patients with lung diseases

This review examines the potential threat that airborne microplastics pose to people with existing lung conditions, noting that these particles have been found in human lung tissue and sputum. Researchers explored possible mechanisms by which inhaled microplastics could worsen lung diseases, including triggering inflammation and oxidative stress. The study highlights significant knowledge gaps and calls for more research into how microplastic inhalation affects respiratory health.

2022 Frontiers in Toxicology 119 citations
Article Tier 2

Potential health risks of the interaction of microplastics and lung surfactant

Researchers investigated how polystyrene microplastics interact with lung surfactant extracted from porcine lungs. The study found that microplastics altered the surface tension and membrane structure of lung surfactant, preferentially adsorbed phospholipid components, and accelerated the production of reactive oxygen species, suggesting potential risks to respiratory health from inhaled microplastics.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 75 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Exposure in COPD Alters the Immune Microenvironment: Implications for Tumor-Promoting Inflammation

Researchers used single-cell RNA sequencing to analyze how microplastic exposure affects the lung immune environment in mice with COPD. They found that microplastics worsened inflammation, increased immune cell exhaustion, and reduced the population of cells critical for lung repair, creating conditions that may be more favorable for tumor development. The study suggests that microplastic exposure may intensify the already elevated cancer risk associated with COPD by promoting a tumor-permissive immune environment.

2025 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Human Exposure to Airborne Microplastics: A Study on Detection and Potential Health Effects Using BAL Fluid

This study detected inhaled microplastics in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from the lower respiratory tract of human patients and found associations between microplastic presence and markers of lung inflammation and impaired lung function.

2025 Journal of Pharmacy And Bioallied Sciences
Article Tier 2

Dark under the Lamp: Neglected Biological Pollutants in the Environment Are Closely Linked to Lung Cancer

This review explores the often-overlooked connection between biological pollutants in the environment and lung health, including how they interact with chemical contaminants like microplastics. Researchers found that allergens, viruses, and bacteria can promote harmful changes in lung tissue through inflammatory pathways. The study highlights the need to consider biological pollutants alongside chemical ones when assessing environmental health risks.

2024 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics induced lung injury in mice: Insights into lung metabolic disorders

Researchers exposed mice to polystyrene nanoplastics through the airway and found that the particles caused lung inflammation and tissue damage. Using metabolomics analysis, they discovered that the nanoplastics disrupted multiple metabolic pathways in lung tissue, with surface-modified particles causing more severe effects. The study provides evidence that inhaled nanoplastics can alter lung metabolism in ways that may contribute to respiratory health problems.

2025 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Lactate exacerbates lung damage induced by nanomicroplastic through the gut microbiota–HIF1a/PTBP1 pathway

Researchers found that nanoplastic exposure (particles 50–100 nm) disrupts gut bacteria in mice, causing lactate to build up in the lungs and triggering a cellular pathway that worsens lung damage through a process called epithelial-mesenchymal transition, where lung tissue changes in ways linked to scarring. The findings identify lactate and the gut-lung axis as key targets for preventing nanoplastic-induced lung injury.

2023 Experimental & Molecular Medicine 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Short-term microplastic exposure: A double whammy to lung metabolism and fecal microflora in diabetic SD rats

Researchers studied the effects of short-term polystyrene microplastic exposure on diabetic rats and found that the particles caused lung tissue damage and significant changes to gut bacteria composition. The microplastic exposure disrupted metabolic processes in the lungs and altered the balance of beneficial and harmful microbes in the gut. The findings suggest that individuals with diabetes may be particularly vulnerable to the health effects of microplastic exposure, even at low doses over short periods.

2025 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 4 citations
Article Tier 2

The Footprint of Microbiome in Pediatric Asthma—A Complex Puzzle for a Balanced Development

This review examines the growing body of evidence linking the human microbiome to the development of pediatric asthma. Researchers found that the composition of bacteria in the gut and respiratory tract during early childhood appears to influence whether children develop asthma. The study suggests that understanding these microbial patterns could open new approaches for preventing or managing asthma in children.

2023 Nutrients 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Association between microplastic exposure and macrolide resistance in mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia among younger children: A cross-sectional study in China

Researchers analyzed bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from 195 children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia and measured microplastic levels alongside antibiotic resistance patterns. They found that higher microplastic concentrations in the lungs were associated with increased macrolide resistance in the bacteria causing the infection. The study suggests that microplastic exposure in the respiratory system may play a role in promoting antibiotic resistance in pediatric respiratory infections.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Enhancement of Macrophage Immunity against Chlamydial Infection by Natural Killer T Cells

Researchers examined how natural killer T cells influence lung macrophage immune responses during bacterial infection with Chlamydia. The study found that invariant natural killer T cells play a role in polarizing macrophage subpopulations, which may enhance the protective immune response against intracellular bacterial pathogens in the lungs.

2024 Cells 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Lung microbiota participated in fibrous microplastics (MPs) aggravating OVA-induced asthma disease in mice

In a mouse study, inhaling fiber-shaped microplastics significantly worsened asthma symptoms, including airway inflammation, mucus buildup, and lung tissue scarring. The microplastic fibers also disrupted the balance of bacteria living in the lungs and activated inflammatory pathways. Since fibrous microplastics are the most common airborne shape and have been found in human lungs, this research suggests they could worsen respiratory conditions like asthma in people.

2024 Food and Chemical Toxicology 19 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Deleterious effects of microplastics and nanoplastics on rodent lungs: a systematic review

This systematic review summarizes research on how inhaled micro- and nanoplastics affect the lungs in animal studies. The findings show these particles can cause lung inflammation, tissue damage, and immune responses, suggesting that breathing in airborne microplastics may pose real risks to respiratory health.

2025