As the microplastics They become increasingly frequent in our environment and everyday life, scientists constantly study all the possible ways in which they affect our health. On this path, a new study from the University of Oklahoma argues that microplastics may burden the liver, in ways unknown so far – especially when combined with a fat-rich diet.
The investigation, published in Science Advances, examined the effect of microplastic polyethylene, one of the most common types of plastic, found in products such as plastic bags and food containers. The study was conducted in mice to show what happens to the liver when exposure to microplastics is combined with a fat-rich diet.
Researchers found that the markers of liver damage in the blood were more than double in mice exposed to microplastics and followed a fatty diet, compared to those exposed to the same microplastics, but ate normally.
«Exposure to microplastics is inevitable. Inhale them, swallow them, even on our skin», reported Tae Gyu Oh, Ph.D., an assistant professor at the University of Oklahoma Medical School and principal author of the study.
Scientists wanted to see if microplastics could worsen the liver damage a diet already aggravating the organism. As Dr. Oh explained, the research team expected to see a combined effect of fatty diet and microplastics – an assessment confirmed by the results.
For the needs of the study, researchers provided equal amounts of microplastics to mice for 8 weeks. Some animals followed a standard diet, while others received a diet designed to resemble steatohepatitis associated with metabolic dysfunction, known as MASH. This is a serious form of fatty liver disease.
Researchers then examined liver tissue with modern technologies. One of them was spatial transcription, a method that allows scientists to see with great accuracy at which parts of the tissue certain biological changes occur. In simple terms, this technique does not just show a general picture of the liver – it allows researchers to locate specific areas where damage or inflammation occurs, even at the level of individual cells. «This high-resolution image helped us identify specific signs of liver damage, which we could not see by traditional methods», explained Dr. Oh.
The study also highlighted the role of PPAR-alpha, a molecule that helps the body break down and use fats for energy. Researchers found that PPAR-alpha affects Anxa2, a tissue-related gene. This finding shows that microplastics may interfere with natural mechanisms for the defense and repair of the liver. That is, the liver may find it more difficult to deal with the damage when there is at the same time exposure to microplastics and fat-rich diet. «Understanding this relationship can lead us to new ways of protecting liver health», commented on this Dr. Oh.
Researchers stress that more research is needed to determine whether the same results apply to humans. Nevertheless, findings provide significant indications of how exposure to microplastics may be associated with inflammation and liver damage.
«Microplastics are now part of our everyday environment, but we still learn how they affect the organism», mentioned Dr. Oh. «With this detailed examination of the liver, we were able to see specific areas where exposure to microplastics caused inflammation and changed significant biological pathways».
According to researchers, the study opens the way for further research into the potential role of microplastics in developing liver diseases. At the same time, it stresses the need to better understand how environmental factors, such as exposure to microplastics, interact with nutrition and affect long-term health.
Source: ygeiamou.gr
