Ali Sareena, Peña Alexis N, Lafazanos Yannis S, Ehrenpreis Eli D
Departments of Internal Medicine.
Good Fibes Inc., Chicago, IL.
J Clin Gastroenterol. 2025 Feb 1;59(2):105-109. doi: 10.1097/MCG.0000000000002085.
Global production and widespread use of plastics are increasing dramatically. With current limited recycling and recovery options, microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) persist in the natural environment. Due to their ubiquity, human exposure to MNPs is inevitable. In addition to their inherent toxic effects, MNPs can adsorb harmful contaminants and act as vectors for microorganisms, compounding toxicological effects. After entering the body, bioaccumulation occurs in several tissues and organs, including the liver and the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Proposed clinical effects of MNP absorption include endocrine disruption, alteration of the GI microbiome, and promotion of chronic inflammatory conditions. MNPs can also influence energy metabolism, activate inflammatory pathways, and increase oxidative stress leading to apoptosis. The GI tract is a major site of bioaccumulation for the MNPs in animals and humans. In this editorial, the current understanding of how MNPs are processed is discussed. Discussion on MNP effects on internal microflora, and their proposed role in developing inflammatory bowel diseases, MNP toxicokinetics, and their significance in health and disease are also reviewed. There is a need to understand the impact of MNP exposure on gut health and gut microbiota and identify current research gaps.
全球塑料产量和广泛使用量正在急剧增加。由于目前回收和再利用选择有限，微塑料和纳米塑料（MNPs）在自然环境中持续存在。因其无处不在，人类接触MNPs不可避免。除了其固有的毒性作用外，MNPs还能吸附有害污染物并充当微生物的载体，加剧毒理学效应。进入人体后，MNPs会在包括肝脏和胃肠道（GI）在内的多个组织和器官中发生生物蓄积。MNPs吸收的潜在临床影响包括内分泌紊乱、胃肠道微生物群改变以及慢性炎症状态的加剧。MNPs还可影响能量代谢、激活炎症途径并增加氧化应激导致细胞凋亡。胃肠道是动物和人类中MNPs生物蓄积的主要部位。在这篇社论中，讨论了目前对MNPs如何被处理的理解。还回顾了关于MNPs对内部微生物群的影响及其在炎症性肠病发展中所起作用的讨论、MNPs的毒代动力学及其在健康和疾病中的意义。有必要了解MNPs暴露对肠道健康和肠道微生物群的影响，并确定当前的研究差距。
