Lukas Kenner, visiting professor, Department of Molecular Biology.
Photo Credit: Medizinische Universität Wien
Scientific Frontline: "At a Glance" Summary
- Core Discovery: Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) exacerbate chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and penetrate biological barriers to accumulate in vital organs beyond the gastrointestinal tract.
- Methodology: Researchers utilized a mouse model of ulcerative colitis, orally administering polystyrene particles—a common plastic found in food packaging—to analyze molecular and histological interactions with the intestinal mucosa and immune system.
- Mechanism of Action: MNP exposure triggers pro-inflammatory activation of macrophages and induces gut dysbiosis, characterized by a decrease in beneficial bacterial species and an increase in potentially harmful, pro-inflammatory microbes.
- Data Point: Nanoplastic particles smaller than 0.0003 millimeters (0.3 micrometers) demonstrated the highest mobility, successfully traversing the intestinal barrier to deposit in the liver, kidneys, and bloodstream.
- Contextual Findings: The uptake of MNPs into the intestinal mucosa is significantly intensified during active inflammatory states, suggesting a feedback loop where existing inflammation facilitates further plastic accumulation.
- Primary Implication: MNPs are an underestimated environmental factor in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory diseases, highlighting an urgent need to evaluate the systemic health risks posed by the migration of the smallest particles into major organ systems.
There is a connection between exposure to microscopic plastic particles and inflammatory intestine diseases. This is shown in a study by researchers in Austria and Sweden. In experiments on mice, plastic particles affected immune cells and intestinal microorganisms. The study also shows that the smallest particles accumulate in other vital organs.
"Our results show that microplastics and nanoplastics are an underestimated factor both in how chronic inflammatory bowel diseases develop and that they can also affect other body organs," says Lukas Kenner, visiting professor at Umeå University, professor at the Medical University of Vienna and research leader for the study.
The researchers have investigated a possible connection between the increasing number of people with chronic inflammatory bowel disease and the increased exposure to micro- and nanoplastics, MNPs.
Common disease
The harmful effects of MNP were investigated in mice with ulcerative colitis, one of the most common forms of chronic inflammatory bowel disease. The study focused on polystyrene particles of different sizes that the mice were fed. Polystyrene is a very common plastic used for food packaging such as yoghurt cups or takeaway boxes.
Molecular and histological analyses in the study showed interactions between MNP and intestinal inflammation. The uptake of MNP in the intestinal mucosa increased during inflammatory conditions. Exposure to MNP also intensified the inflammatory immune response in the gut by triggering a pro-inflammatory activation of certain immune cells and macrophages. In addition, exposure to MNP led to disruption of the gut microbiome; beneficial bacterial species decreased, while pro-inflammatory and potentially harmful bacterial species increased.
Beyond the gut
The study shows effects even beyond the intestines. It was possible to see how micro- and nanoplastics also accumulated in other vital organs of the mice. It was mainly the very small nanoplastic particles, smaller than 0.0003 millimeters, that could be seen in the liver, kidneys, and blood of the people. These results suggest that the smallest particles can cross the body's biological barriers and thus have effects far beyond the stomach and intestines.
The research has been carried out by researchers at the Universität Wien, CBMed GmbH in Graz, Medizinische Universität Wien and Umeå universitrt.
Research material: What Is: Microplastics
Published in journal: Microplastics and Nanoplastics
Authors: Verena Kopatz, Ulrike Resch, Kristina Draganic, Angela Horvath, Janette Pfneissl, Julijan Kabiljo, Bernadette Mödl, Gerald Timelthaler, Julia Wallner, Zeynab Mirzaei, Saule Beratlyte, Michaela Schlederer, Stefan Sarbu, Simina Laslau, Oldamur Hollóczki, Martin Raigel, Elisabeth S. Gruber, Joachim Widder, Iris Kufferath, Marion Pollheimer, Wolfgang Wadsak, George Sarau, Silke Christiansen, Nikola Zlatkov Kolev, Marcus Krueger, Robert Eferl, Gerda Egger, Vanessa Stadlbauer, Verena Pichler, and Lukas Kenner
Source/Credit: Umeå University | Ola Nilsson
Reference Number: med011326_01
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