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Review
. 2024 Nov 25:953:176228.
doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.176228. Epub 2024 Sep 11.

Micro- and nano-plastics, intestinal inflammation, and inflammatory bowel disease: A review of the literature

Manasi Agrawal  1 , Alvise Vianello  2 , Mellissa Picker  3 , Laura Simon-Sánchez  2 , Rosemary Chen  3 , Maria Manuela Estevinho  4 , Kaitlyn Weinstein  3 , Jeanette Lykkemark  2 , Tine Jess  5 , Inga Peter  3 , Jean-Frederic Colombel  6 , Kristine Højgaaard Allin  5 , Jes Vollertsen  2
Affiliations
Review

Micro- and nano-plastics, intestinal inflammation, and inflammatory bowel disease: A review of the literature

Manasi Agrawal et al. Sci Total Environ. .

Abstract

Plastics, encompassing a wide range of polymeric materials, and their downstream products (micro- and nanoplastics, MNPs) are accumulating in the environment at an alarming rate, and they are linked to adverse human health outcomes. Considering that ingestion is a main source of MNPs exposure, the impact of plastics is particularly relevant towards intestinal inflammation and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, the study of MNPs has been limited by obstacles relating to sample collection, preparation, and microplastics analysis based on optical microscopy and chemical analysis, which we detail in this review alongside potential solutions. We summarize available data on human exposure to MNPs and overall health outcomes, with particular focus on data pertaining to intestinal inflammation, microbiome perturbations, and related outcomes. We include ecologic perspectives, and human, in vitro, and animal model studies. We discuss the way forward in MNPs and IBD research, including knowledge gaps and future research.

Keywords: Inflammatory bowel disease; Intestinal inflammation; Plastics; Pollution; micro and nanoplastics.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of competing interest The corresponding author confirms on behalf of all authors that there have been no involvements that might raise the question of bias in the work reported or in the conclusions, implications, or opinions stated. MA reports consulting for Douglas Pharmaceutical. AV reports no conflict of interest. MP reports no conflict of interest. LSS reports no conflict of interest. RC reports no conflict of interest. MME reports no conflict of interest. KW reports no conflict of interest. JL reports no conflict of interest. TJ reports consulting for Ferring and Pfizer. IP reports no conflict of interest. JFC reports receiving research grants from AbbVie, Janssen Pharmaceuticals and Takeda; receiving payment for lectures from AbbVie, Amgen, Allergan, Inc. Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Shire, and Takeda; receiving consulting fees from AbbVie, Amgen, Arena Pharmaceuticals, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, Celgene Corporation, Eli Lilly, Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Galmed Research, Glaxo Smith Kline, Geneva, Iterative Scopes, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Kaleido Biosciences, Landos, Otsuka, Pfizer, Prometheus, Sanofi, Takeda, TiGenix,; and hold stock options in Intestinal Biotech Development. KHA reports no conflict of interest. JV reports no conflict of interest.

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