The growing presence of microplastics in our food and water supply has attracted serious concerns about their impact on human health. These tiny plastic particles can carry harmful chemicals, not just harmless debris. In a newly published study, researchers aim to understand how polystyrene microplastics and benzos[a]pyrene, a toxic chemical found in the environment, can affect kidney health when interacting within the digestive system.
Dr. Hailong Zhouand’s team is from Hainan University and Shanxi Medical University, and this harmful combination may cause a special cellular damage in the kidneys. This cell death is called iron-iron action, which is a process that causes cell death due to the toxicity of certain fats and iron. Iron apoptosis is different from other types of cell death (such as apoptosis or necrosis) because it is driven by iron and fat damage. Their findings are published in the journal Communication Biology.
Dr. Zude’s team discovered that when both polystyrene microplastics and benzos are[a]The damage to kidney tissue is much worse than that of kidney tissue consumed alone. Together, they destroyed how the kidneys process fat and iron, causing more fat to break down and added iron to gather in the cells. This triggers a chain reaction that causes oxidative stress, a harmful condition in which unstable molecules called free radicals accumulate and damage cells. Free radicals are molecules that can react with cells (such as DNA and cell membranes) and damage important parts. The result is that iron and iron act, which damages the ability of the kidneys to function normally.
A key discovery is the role of the gut in this destructive process. Comprehensive exposure to microplastics and benzene[a]Pyrene damages the lining of the intestine, weakens the proteins that usually seal the intestinal cells tightly, and disrupts the balance of useful and harmful bacteria in the digestive system. This leads to what is commonly called the “intestinal intestine”, in which case the intestinal wall becomes more porous and allows substances to pass through normally not. Harmful compounds, such as harmful compounds (types of inflammatory fats), may escape from the intestine into the bloodstream. Once the blood enters the blood, these substances go to the kidneys, where they cause further damage. As Dr. Zhouand explains: “Severe damage to the intestinal barrier causes thinning of the intestinal wall, resulting in an increase in intestinal metabolites, which are small molecules produced during digestion that are passed to the kidney through what scientists call the intestinal axis.” The intestinal axis is the communication link between the intestinal tract and the kidney, and problems in the intestinal tract can affect kidney function.
Once these substances reach the kidneys, they activate certain biological processes. Two key proteins were found – long-chain fatty acid CoA ligase 4 and lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase 3 – and were found to be more active. These proteins help the body break down and store fat, playing a role in managing energy and maintaining cell membrane structure. When they become too active, this leads to an unhealthy accumulation of fat-related byproducts that trigger cell death. “We found that the protein expression of long-chain fatty acid CoA ligase 4 and lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase 3 was significantly upregulated, meaning that the body produces more than usual…indicates uptake of polymycosis[a]Pyrene does indeed lead to the kidney iron swallowing. ” Dr. Zhouand explained. The kidney refers to the kidney.
What makes these findings particularly cause these findings is the quantity of microplastics and benzos[a]The pyrene used in the study is similar to what people are exposed to by drinking water and eating food contaminated with plastics and contaminants. This means that the risks identified in the study may actually apply to everyday life, allowing for the urgent risks of micro-contamination.
Finally, the study raises concerns about the new recognition of risks: damage to the digestive system caused by microplastics and contaminants can indirectly damage the kidneys. This chain of events, known as the intestinal kidney axis, refers to the close connection between intestinal health and kidney health, indicating how problems in one organ lead to problems in another organ. As Dr. Zhouand points out, “This study highlights the comprehensive toxicity of polystyrene microplastics and benzo[a]Pyridine is found in mammals, and specific pathways and mechanisms of exogenous contaminants, i.e. substances from in vitro, harm the intestinal kidney axis in animals. ”
Journal Reference
Zhang Y., Men J., Yin K., Zhang Y., Yang J., Li X., Wang X., Diao X., Zhou H. Communications Biology, 2025. Doi:
About the Author
Dr. Hailong He is a well-known biomedical scientist at Hainan University, where he is a leading figure in the field of health and environmental research. Dr. Zhou’s research focuses on spanning toxicology, cellular biology and environmental pollutants, making a significant contribution to understanding external pollutants, such as microplastics and chemical pollutants, to understand how internal organs, especially the kidney and gastrointestinal systems. He is known for his work on investigating the intestinal-Kidney axis, a complex biological pathway that connects digestive health to kidney function. Dr. Zhou’s interdisciplinary approach combines molecular science with public health relevance to uncover the mechanisms behind the diseases caused by pollutants. He led and collaborated on numerous peer-reviewed studies and was respected for turning lab insights into real-world health effects. Through his research leadership and academic guidance, Dr. Zhou continues to influence the growing field of environmental health science.
