Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40494850›Full record

ArticleNature communications2025

Polystyrene nanoplastics disrupt the intestinal microenvironment by altering bacteria-host interactions through extracellular vesicle-delivered microRNAs.

Wei-Hsuan Hsu, You-Zuo Chen, Yi-Ting Chiang, Yi-Tsen Chang, Yi-Wen Wang, Kung-Ting Hsu, Yi-Yun Hsu, Pei-Ting Wu, Bao-Hong Lee

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 31 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
31citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

31 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Review
  6. Review
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Review
  10. Review
  11. Review
  12. Microplastics, nanoplastics and liver disease: an emerging health concern?Nature reviews. Gastroenterology & hepatology · 2026
    Review
  13. Microplastics and nanoplastics in the human gut: from signals to standards.Nature reviews. Gastroenterology & hepatology · 2026
    Article
  14. Cell-nanoplastics association impacts cell proliferation and motility.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026
    Article
  15. Review
  16. Review
  17. Review
  18. Article
  19. Review
  20. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Wei-Hsuan HsuDepartment of Food Safety/Hygiene and Risk Management, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
You-Zuo ChenDepartment of Food Safety/Hygiene and Risk Management, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
Yi-Ting ChiangDepartment of Food Safety/Hygiene and Risk Management, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
Yi-Tsen ChangDepartment of Food Safety/Hygiene and Risk Management, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
Yi-Wen WangDepartment of Food Safety/Hygiene and Risk Management, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
Kung-Ting HsuInstitute of Basic Medical Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
Yi-Yun HsuDepartment of Food Safety/Hygiene and Risk Management, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
Pei-Ting WuDepartment of Food Safety/Hygiene and Risk Management, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
Bao-Hong LeeDepartment of Horticultural Sciences, National Chiayi University, Chiayi, Taiwan. bhlee@mail.ncyu.edu.tw.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0006-3049-6010

Funding

Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taiwan | Food and Drug Administration (Taiwan Food and Drug Administration) MOHW110-FDA-F-114-000374Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (Ministry of Science and Technology of Taiwan) MOST 109-2636-B-006-008Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (Ministry of Science and Technology of Taiwan) MOST 110-2628-B-415-001
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Nanoplastics (NP) are emerging environmental pollutants with potential risks to human health. This study investigates how polystyrene-NP exposure disrupts the intestinal microenvironment and barrier function through bacteria-host interactions. Using in vivo models and bacterial sorting technology, we show that NP accumulation in the mouse intestine alters the expression of intestinal miR-501-3p and miR-700-5p, compromising tight junction protein ZO-1 and mucin (MUC)-13 expression, thereby increasing intestinal permeability. NP increases miR-98-3p, miR-548z, miR-548h-3o, miR-548d-3p, miR-548az-5p, miR-12136, and miR-101-3p levels in extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from goblet-like cells, which can interfere with ZO-1 expression. NP also induces gut microbiota dysbiosis, characterized by elevated Ruminococcaceae abundance and altered EV characteristics from goblet cells. Lachnospiraceae internalize NP, and their EVs suppress MUC-13 expression. These findings reveal a mechanism by which NP compromises intestinal integrity and indirectly alters intestinal microbiota composition, potentially leading to adverse health outcomes.

Indexed as

Extracellular VesiclesGastrointestinal MicrobiomeHost Microbial InteractionsIntestinesMicroplasticsMicroRNAsPolystyrenesAnimalsDysbiosisGoblet CellsHumansIntestinal MucosaMaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLMucinsMicroplasticsMicroRNAsMucinsPolystyrenesZonula Occludens-1 Protein

Identifiers

PMID40494850
PMCPMC12152142

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.