Airborne Nanoplastics Exposure Inducing Irreversible Glucose Increase and Complete Hepatic Insulin Resistance.
Ziye YangHuajiang DongYifei GaoShuang LiuLong ChenGuangjian NiXiaoyu GuoMeixue WangCan WangYue ChenLiqun ChenPublished in: Environmental science & technology (2024)
As an emerging type of pollutant, microplastics have become a global environmental problem. Approximately, a fifth of the global burden of type 2 diabetes can be attributed to air particulate pollution. However, scientific knowledge remains limited about the effects of airborne nanoplastics (NPs) exposure on metabolic diseases. In this experiment, a whole-body exposure system was used to simulate the real atmospheric environment, and three exposure concentrations combined with the actual environmental concentration were selected to explore the effects of airborne NPs on metabolic diseases. Based on histological analyses, metabolic studies, gene expression, metabolites, and molecular signaling analyses, mice exposed to airborne NPs were observed to show a phenotype of systemic inflammation and complete insulin resistance featuring excessive drinking and eating, weight loss, elevated blood glucose, and decreased triglyceride levels. After airborne NPs exposure, mice were intolerant to glucose and tolerant to insulin. In addition, airborne NPs exposure could result in long-term irreversible hyperglycemia. Together, the research findings provide a strong basis for understanding the hazards of airborne nanopollution on metabolic disorders.
Keyphrases
- particulate matter
- blood glucose
- insulin resistance
- gene expression
- air pollution
- weight loss
- type diabetes
- metabolic syndrome
- heavy metals
- high fat diet
- human health
- polycystic ovary syndrome
- risk assessment
- blood pressure
- bariatric surgery
- body mass index
- oxide nanoparticles
- climate change
- weight gain
- health risk assessment