Hwangbo Hyun, Kim Eun-Ju, Kim Gi-Young, Hwang Sun-Young, Lee Mee-Hyun, Choi Yung Hyun
Department of Biochemistry, Dong-eui University College of Korean Medicine, Busan 47227, Republic of Korea.
Basic Research Laboratory for the Regulation of Microplastic-Mediated Diseases and Anti-Aging Research Center, Dong-eui University, Busan 47227, Republic of Korea.
J Microbiol Biotechnol. 2025 Aug 7;35:e2504016. doi: 10.4014/jmb.2504.04016.
Microplastics, particularly polystyrene (PS), are ubiquitous environmental contaminants and concerns about their potential detrimental effects on human health are increasing. Emerging evidence suggests that microplastics may disrupt the gut microbiota, a critical ecosystem involved in regulating host metabolism, immunity, and aging processes. However, the specific effects of PS on the gut microbiota composition and its potential role in modulating aging are yet to be fully elucidated. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of PS exposure on gut microbiota dysbiosis and its potential role in the acceleration of aging. Gut microbiota composition was assessed using 16S rDNA sequencing, while fecal metabolites were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Exposure to PS resulted in a significant reduction in the abundance of beneficial microbiota, including . In contrast, there was an increase in the relative abundance of potentially harmful taxa, such as , and . Metabolomic analysis revealed elevated levels of several metabolites associated with stress responses and altered host metabolism, including alanine, serine, tryptophan, 5-aminovaleric acid, thymine, threonine, methionine, and benzoic acid. These findings demonstrate that PS exposure in aged mice exacerbated gut microbiome dysbiosis and altered key metabolic markers associated with aging, suggesting an increased vulnerability to age-related diseases as a consequence of microplastic exposure.
微塑料，尤其是聚苯乙烯（PS），是普遍存在的环境污染物，人们对其对人类健康的潜在有害影响的担忧日益增加。新出现的证据表明，微塑料可能会破坏肠道微生物群，而肠道微生物群是一个参与调节宿主新陈代谢、免疫和衰老过程的关键生态系统。然而，PS对肠道微生物群组成的具体影响及其在调节衰老中的潜在作用尚未完全阐明。在本研究中，我们旨在研究PS暴露对肠道微生物群失调的影响及其在加速衰老中的潜在作用。使用16S rDNA测序评估肠道微生物群组成，同时使用气相色谱-质谱法分析粪便代谢物。暴露于PS导致有益微生物群的丰度显著降低，包括 。相比之下，潜在有害分类群的相对丰度有所增加，例如 、 和 。代谢组学分析显示，与应激反应和宿主代谢改变相关的几种代谢物水平升高，包括丙氨酸、丝氨酸、色氨酸、5-氨基戊酸、胸腺嘧啶、苏氨酸、蛋氨酸和苯甲酸。这些发现表明，老年小鼠暴露于PS会加剧肠道微生物群失调，并改变与衰老相关的关键代谢标志物，这表明微塑料暴露会增加患与年龄相关疾病的易感性。
