Polystyrene Microplastics Causes Diarrhea and Impairs Intestinal Angiogenesis through the ROS/METTL3 Pathway

作者：Dongbin Zou, Yun Yang, Fengjie Ji, Renlong Lv, Hongzhi Wu, Guanyu Hou, Tieshan Xu, Hanlin Zhou, Chengjun Hu · 发表于：Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry · 年份：2024 · DOI：10.1021/acs.jafc.4c03238 · 被引用次数：10 · 研究领域：Microplastics and Plastic Pollution、biodegradable polymer synthesis and properties、Graphene and Nanomaterials Applications

Due to the immature intestinal digestion, immunity, and barrier functions, weaned infants are more susceptible to pathogens and develop diarrhea. Microplastics (MPs), pervasive contaminants in food, water, and air, have unknown effects on the intestinal development of weaned infants. This study explored the impact of polystyrene MPs on intestinal development using a weaned piglet model. Piglets in the control group received a basal diet, and those in the experimental groups received a basal diet contaminated with 150 mg/kg polystyrene MPs. The results showed that exposure to polystyrene MPs increased the diarrhea incidence and impaired the intestinal barrier function of weaned piglets. Notably, the exposure led to oxidative stress and inflammation in the intestine. Furthermore, polystyrene MPs-treated weaned piglets showed a reduced level of intestinal angiogenesis. Mechanistically, polystyrene MPs suppressed methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3) expression by increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, consequently destabilizing angiogenic factors' mRNA and hindering intestinal angiogenesis. In summary, polystyrene MPs contamination in the diet increases diarrhea and compromises intestinal angiogenesis through the ROS/METTL3 pathway, demonstrating their toxic effects on the intestine health of weaned infants.