Differential Impacts of Environmentally Relevant Microplastics on Gut Barrier Integrity in Mice Fed High-Fat Diet Versus Normal Chow Diet.

Background: Despite escalating global pollution from microplastics (MPs) and the concurrent surge in high-fat food consumption, the health impacts of MP exposure on individuals under different dietary patterns remain poorly understood.

Methods: This study investigated the differential effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of polystyrene microplastics (5 μm, 8 mg/kg) on gut barrier function in mice fed either a normal chow diet (CD) or a high-fat diet (HFD).

Results: Key findings revealed that, in HFD-fed mice, MP exposure significantly reduced ( < 0.