Study Reveals Microplastic Exposure Can Worsen Liver Damage, Especially with High-Fat Diet

A recent study has revealed that exposure to microplastics can put stress on the liver, and the impact can be significantly worse when combined with a diet high in fat and sugar. The research, published in Science Advances, mapped the effects of microplastics down to the cellular level in the liver.

The study observed male mice exposed to polyethylene microplastics for eight weeks. Researchers found an increase in blood markers for liver injury and changes in gene activity across various types of liver cells.

‘The strongest effects were seen in mice that were also consuming a diet designed to trigger metabolic disease. In this group, we found fat accumulation in the liver tissue and greater signs of liver stress,’ the researchers said, as reported by Study Finds on Friday.

Polyethylene is one of the most commonly used plastics in daily life, found in items such as shopping bags and bottles. This type of microplastic has also been detected in human tissues, including the liver.

In this study, researchers used spatial transcriptomics technology to view gene activity while pinpointing the location of cellular changes within the liver tissue. ‘The mapping results showed concentrated points of inflammation in specific zones of the liver, particularly the midlobular and pericentral regions. These areas are known to be more susceptible to toxin-induced injury because they have lower oxygen levels and higher metabolic activity,’ the researchers explained.

The researchers also discovered changes in cell composition. In mice receiving the combination of an unhealthy diet and polyethylene exposure, the number of Kupffer cells—immune cells that play a role in responding to liver damage—decreased in certain areas. Conversely, midlobular hepatocytes became more dominant. The study identified 15 distinct cell clusters in the liver, and gene analysis found hundreds of genes altered after polyethylene exposure, with the most significant changes observed in mice fed a high-fat diet.