Environmentally Relevant Concentrations of Microplastic Exposure Cause Cholestasis and Bile Acid Metabolism Dysregulation through a Gut-Liver Loop in Mice.
Environ Sci Technol
; 58(4): 1832-1841, 2024 Jan 30.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38230996
ABSTRACT
The massive production of plastics causes the ubiquitous existence of microplastics (MPs) in the biota, therefore, posing exposure risks and potential health concerns to human beings. However, the exact mechanisms of MPs-induced toxicities and abnormalities are largely unknown. In this study, we developed a mouse model of gavage polystyrene microplastics (PS MPs) for 30 days. We found that PS MPs can damage the intestinal barrier, accumulate in the liver tissue, and cause injury. The liver and intestine are both highly associated with bile acid (BA) metabolism. Indeed, we found that PS MPs dysregulate BA synthesis and efflux-related gene expression in the liver, causing cholestasis. Tandemly, PS MPs alter the ratio of primary to secondary BA in the feces by affecting the composition of the intestinal flora. At last, PS MPs alter mice's fecal BA profile, which affects normal BA metabolism. Taken together, the present study provides robust data on the mechanism of toxicity of MPs causing the disturbance of BA metabolism via a 4-step gut-liver loop.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Plastics
/
Cholestasis
Limits:
Animals
/
Humans
Language:
En
Journal:
Environ Sci Technol
Year:
2024
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
China
Country of publication:
Estados Unidos