New research reveals that microplastics, especially those from food containers, can damage blood vessels, triggering inflammation and cellular changes linked to cardiovascular disease. A recent study published in Scientific Reports found that exposure to these plastics may damage blood vessels, leading to serious health concerns.
Microplastic pollution is now an unavoidable part of our environment, with tiny plastic fragments detected in human blood, lungs, and even the heart. Scientists are increasingly concerned about their potential health effects, particularly their impact on the cardiovascular system. While previous studies have linked microplastics to oxidative stress, inflammation, and tissue damage, the direct role in heart disease remains unclear.
The current study explored whether microplastics cause damage to vascular smooth muscle cells, which play a crucial role in maintaining healthy blood vessels. Researchers studied human coronary artery smooth muscle cells exposed to polyethylene and polystyrene, two common plastics used in food packaging. They found that exposure to these plastics significantly affected vascular smooth muscle cells, leading to several harmful changes in the heart.
The study revealed that cell viability dropped across all groups exposed to microplastics, with aged polystyrene causing the greatest reduction. Markers of cell stress and death were also elevated, indicating that microplastics may promote programmed cell death. The cytotoxicity tests confirmed that microplastics caused membrane damage, with lactate dehydrogenase release rising in treated samples.
Furthermore, the migration assays revealed that microplastic exposure enhanced vascular smooth muscle cell movement, a process linked to atherosclerosis. Cells exposed to microplastics showed increased migration, suggesting a shift toward a disease-associated phenotype. The immunofluorescence analysis further confirmed these changes, where α-smooth muscle actin levels were observed to have decreased, and galectin-3 and RUNX-2 were upregulated.
These markers indicated that microplastics drive a transition from a healthy contractile state to a synthetic phenotype prone to vascular inflammation and calcification. Most notably, microplastics activated the inflammasome complex, pointing to a heightened inflammatory response, a known contributor to cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis.
The study provided strong evidence that microplastics not only infiltrate the human vascular system but also actively contribute to cellular damage and inflammation, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. As plastic pollution on the rise, understanding and mitigating its health effects should be a priority for both researchers and policymakers.
Source: https://www.news-medical.net/news/20250210/Microplastics-in-food-packaging-may-increase-heart-disease-risk.aspx