Microplastics pose a threat to heart health, causing harmful changes in vascular cells and increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases like atherosclerosis.
By Dr. Chinta SidharthanReviewed by Lily Ramsey, LLMFeb 10 2025 New research reveals that microplastics, especially those from food containers, can damage blood vessels , triggering inflammation and cellular changes linked to cardiovascular disease .
Microplastic pollution Microplastics are now an unavoidable part of our environment. These tiny plastic fragments, shed from packaging, textiles, and industrial waste, have been detected in human blood, lungs, and even the heart, and scientists are increasingly concerned about their potential health effects, particularly their impact on the cardiovascular system.
To investigate the effects of microplastics on vascular health, the researchers studied human coronary artery smooth muscle cells exposed to polyethylene and polystyrene — two common plastics used in food packaging. Migration assays were also conducted to see if microplastics altered the movement of smooth muscle cells, which is a crucial factor in the development of vascular diseases such as atherosclerosis.
Results The study found that exposure to microplastics significantly affected vascular smooth muscle cells , leading to several harmful changes in the heart. Additionally, the migration assays revealed that microplastic exposure enhanced VSMC movement, a process linked to atherosclerosis. Cells exposed to microplastics, especially degraded polystyrene, showed increased migration, suggesting a shift toward a disease-associated phenotype.
Heart Heart Disease Actin Apoptosis Atherosclerosis Blood Blood Vessels Calcification Cardiovascular Disease Cell Cell Death Cytotoxicity Inflammasome Inflammation Lungs Muscle Oxidative Stress Phenotype Pollution Programmed Cell Death Research Stress Vascular
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