Cellular mechanisms of microplastic and nanoparticle exposure and its relationship with metabolic diseases: Literature review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31763/bioenvipo.v5i1.880Keywords:
Microplastics, nanoparticles, Cellular mechanisme, Metabolic diseasesAbstract
Microplastics (MP) and nanoparticles (PS-NPs) are emerging environmental contaminants of significant concern due to their adverse effects on human health. This study systematically reviews the impact of these pollutants on cellular mechanisms, with a specific focus on their association with metabolic diseases. Data were collected from various scientific publications relevant to the research topic. Research findings indicate that exposure to microplastics (MP) can result in a reduction in triglyceride and total cholesterol levels, while also disrupting insulin signaling pathways, thereby contributing to insulin resistance. Additional studies have demonstrated that exposure to nanoparticles (PS-NPs) in pregnant mice may increase the risk of metabolic disorders in their offspring. Moreover, PS-NP exposure has been shown to exacerbate type 2 diabetes by inhibiting the AKT/GSK3β pathway. Collectively, exposure to microplastics and nanoparticles has the potential to aggravate metabolic disorders and increase the risk of metabolic diseases, including diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular conditions. These findings offer valuable insights into the potential health risks associated with environmental exposure to microplastics and nanoparticles and underscore the critical importance of addressing microplastic pollution to human health.
References
Galloway, T. S., Cole, M. & Lewis, C. Micro- and nanoplastics and human health. In Bergmann, M., Gutow, L. & Klages, M. (Eds.), Marine Anthropogenic Litter, 347-370 (Springer, 2017).
Morreale, M. & La Mantia, F. P. Current concerns about microplastics and nanoplastics: A brief overview. Polymers 16, 1525 (2024). https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16111525
Browne, M. A., Niven, S. J., Galloway, T. S., Rowland, S. J. & Thompson, R. C. Microplastic moves pollutants and additives to worms, reducing functions linked to health and biodiversity. Current Biology 23, 2388-2392 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2013.10.012
Oberdörster, G., Oberdörster, E. & Oberdörster, J. Nanotoxicology: An emerging discipline evolving from studies of ultrafine particles. Environ Health Perspect 113, 823-839 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.7339
Shvedova, A. A., Kagan, V. E. & Fadeel, B. Unusual inflammatory and fibrogenic pulmonary responses to single-walled carbon nanotubes in mice. American Journal of Physiology Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology 295 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1152/ajplung.00084.2005
Mahjoub, S. & Masrour-Roudsari, J. Role of oxidative stress in pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome. Caspian Journal of Internal Medicine 3, 386 (2012).
Das, A. The emerging role of microplastics in systemic toxicity: Involvement of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Scicience of the Total Environment 165076 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165076
Liu, S., Wang, Z., Xiang, Q., Wu, B., Lv, W. & Xu, S. A comparative study in healthy and diabetic mice followed the exposure of polystyrene microplastics: Differential lipid metabolism and inflammation reaction. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 244, 114031 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.114031
Liu, N. & Tang, M. Toxic effects and involved molecular pathways of nanoparticles on cells and subcellular organelles. Journal of Applied Toxicology 40, 16-36 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1002/jat.3817
Xu, M. X., Wang, M. & Yang, W. W. Gold-quercetin nanoparticles prevent metabolic endotoxemia-induced kidney injury by regulating TLR4/NF-κB signaling and Nrf2 pathway in high fat diet fed mice. International Journal of Nanomedicine 327-345 (2017). https://doi.org/10.2147/IJN.S116010
Lu, L., Wan, Z., Luo, T., Fu, Z. & Jin, Y. Polystyrene microplastics induce gut microbiota dysbiosis and hepatic lipid metabolism disorder in mice. Science of The Total Environment 631, 449-458 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.03.051
Qiao, R., Sheng, C., Lu, Y., Zhang, Y., Ren, H. & Lemos, B. Microplastics induce intestinal inflammation, oxidative stress, and disorders of metabolome and microbiome in zebrafish. Science of The Total Environment 662, 246-253 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.01.245
Wang, Y., Xu, K., Gao, X., Wei, Z., Han, Q., Wang, S. et al. Polystyrene nanoplastics with different functional groups and charges have different impacts on type 2 diabetes. Particle and Fibre Toxicology 21, 21 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12989-024-00582-w
Ceballos-Gutiérrez, A., RodrÃguez-Hernández, A., Ãlvarez-Valadez, M. D. R., Limón-Miranda, S., Andrade, F., Figueroa-Gutiérrez, A., DÃaz-Reval, I., Apolinar-Iribe, A., Castro-Sánchez, L., Alamilla, J., Sánchez-Pastor, E. & Virgen-Ortiz, A. ZnO nanoparticles induce dyslipidemia and atherosclerotic lesions leading to changes in vascular contractility and cannabinoid receptors expression as well as increased blood pressure. Nanomaterials 11, 2319 (2021). https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11092319
Huang, D., Zhang, Y., Long, J., Yang, X., Bao, L., Yang, Z., Wu, B., Si, R., Zhao, W., Peng, C., Wang, A. & Yan, D. Polystyrene microplastic exposure induces insulin resistance in mice via dysbacteriosis and pro-inflammation. Science of The Total Environment 838, 155937 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155937
Luo, T., Zhang, Y., Wang, C., Wang, X., Zhou, J., Shen, M., Zaho, Y., Fu, Z. & Jin, Y. Maternal exposure to different sizes of polystyrene microplastics during gestation causes metabolic disorders in their offspring. Environmental Pollution 255, 113122 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113122
Wang, Y., Wei, Z., Xu, K., Wang, X., Gao, X., Han, Q., Wang, S. & Chen, M. The effect and a mechanistic evaluation of polystyrene nanoplastics on a mouse model of type 2 diabetes. Food and Chemical Toxicology 173, 113642 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2023.113642
Chen, G., Xiong, S., Jing, Q., van Gestel, C. A., van Straalen, N. M., Roelofs, D., Sun, L. & Qiu, H. Maternal exposure to polystyrene nanoparticles retarded fetal growth and triggered metabolic disorders of placenta and fetus in mice. Science of The Total Environment 854, 158666 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158666
Zhang, L., Wan, B., Zheng, J., Chen, L., Xuan, Y., Zhang, R., Chen, L., Hu, C., Zhang, Y. & Yan, C. Polystyrene nanoplastics inhibit beige fat function and exacerbate metabolic disorder in high-fat diet-fed mice. Science of The Total Environment 918, 170700 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170700
Fan, X., Li, X., Li, J., Zhang, Y., Wei, X., Hu, H., Zhang, B., Du, H., Zhao, M., Zhu, R., Yang, D., Oh, Y. & Gu, N. Polystyrene nanoplastics induce glycolipid metabolism disorder via NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathway in mice. Journal of Environmental Sciences 137, 553-566 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jes.2023.02.040
Li, Y., Guo, M., Niu, S., Shang, M., Chang, X., Sun, Z., Zhang, R. & Xue, Y. ROS and DRP1 interactions accelerate the mitochondrial injury induced by polystyrene nanoplastics in human liver HepG2 cells. Chemico-Biological Interactions 379, 110502 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbi.2023.110502
Pei, J., Chen, S., Li, L., Wang, K., Pang, A., Niu, M., Peng, X., Li, N., Wu, H. & Nie, P. (2024). Impact of polystyrene nanoplastics on apoptosis and inflammation in zebrafish larvae: Insights from reactive oxygen species perspective. Science of The Total Environment 948, 174737 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174737
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Ismi Farah Syarifah, Rizal Maulana Hasby, Opik Taupiqurrohman, Mokhamad Mahroji
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with BIOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT AND POLLUTION agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY-SA 4.0) that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.Â
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.
