IDiBE is pleased to announce the publication of a new scientific article authored by Ángel Nadal and Esther Fuentes from our Diabetes Research Unit, in collaboration with Jane Muncke and Robert M. Sargis, recently published in the journal Environmental Endocrinology.
The article, entitled “Microplastics, nanoplastics, and plastic chemicals: applying the key characteristics of metabolism disrupting agents shows reason for concern”, examines the impact of micro- and nanoplastics, as well as plastic-associated chemicals, on metabolic health.
In this review, the authors apply the novel “Key Characteristics of Toxicants” framework to investigate how micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) and commonly encountered chemicals such as bisphenol S (BPS), diisononyl phthalate (DINP) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) can act as metabolism-disrupting agents through multiple cellular and molecular pathways.
The integrated findings of the study show that these compounds can:
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Disrupt insulin function
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Promote fat storage
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Alter gut health
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Trigger inflammatory processes
Importantly, these effects are observed at environmentally relevant exposure levels, highlighting the need for a careful assessment of their impact on metabolic health.
This work underscores the importance of integrative, mechanistic approaches to better understand the effects of environmental contaminants and their links to metabolic diseases, in line with the translational research carried out at IDiBE.
We congratulate all those involved on this excellent collaborative achievement.
