Dietary Microplastics Engage Gut Mechanosensory-Endocrine Signaling to Disrupt Bone Homeostasis

, yet their physiological effects remain poorly defined. Here we show that MPs are detectable in mineralized human bone under non-iatrogenic conditions and impair osteoblast mineralization in a donor-dependent manner. Using a physiologically relevant dietary exposure model, we demonstrate that chronic MP ingestion induces sex- and diet-dependent bone loss in mice, predominantly affecting trabecular architecture, in the absence of intestinal pathology or systemic inflammatory cytokine elevation. Instead, MP exposure selectively enhances gut-derived serotonergic signaling, with increased abundance and activity of enteroendocrine cells without evidence of lineage reprogramming. Single-nuclei transcriptomic profiling of the colon resolves enterochromaffin cells and serotonergic target expression across epithelial and enteric neuronal compartments, revealing discrete mechanosensory adaptations without inflammatory activation. Together, these findings implicate ingestion of MPs as bioactive dietary contaminant that disrupt gut-endocrine communication and compromise skeletal homeostasis, uncovering a previously unrecognized pathway linking environmental plastic exposure to bone health.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
Published
2026-04-07
DOI
https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.04.03.716216
Primary Topic
Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

Funders

Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Dietary Microplastics Engage Gut Mechanosensory-Endocrine Signaling to Disrupt Bone Homeostasis

Eliseo F. Castillo, Julie In, Sumira Phatak, Anthony Cretara et al.
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
article

Dietary Microplastics Engage Gut Mechanosensory-Endocrine Signaling to Disrupt Bone Homeostasis

Eliseo F. Castillo, Julie In, Sumira Phatak, Anthony Cretara, Hamid Y. Dar, Kel Cook, Jessica Gross, Roberto Pacifici, Cristina Coffman, Siem Goitom, Jaclyn A. Rivas, Aaron S. Romero, J. A. Orozco, Sanchiti Patil, Richard Levenson, Crystal Madera Enriquez, Ruixuan Liu, Matthew Campen, Olufunmilola M Oyebamiji, Shuguang Leng
article en

Abstract

, yet their physiological effects remain poorly defined. Here we show that MPs are detectable in mineralized human bone under non-iatrogenic conditions and impair osteoblast mineralization in a donor-dependent manner. Using a physiologically relevant dietary exposure model, we demonstrate that chronic MP ingestion induces sex- and diet-dependent bone loss in mice, predominantly affecting trabecular architecture, in the absence of intestinal pathology or systemic inflammatory cytokine elevation. Instead, MP exposure selectively enhances gut-derived serotonergic signaling, with increased abundance and activity of enteroendocrine cells without evidence of lineage reprogramming. Single-nuclei transcriptomic profiling of the colon resolves enterochromaffin cells and serotonergic target expression across epithelial and enteric neuronal compartments, revealing discrete mechanosensory adaptations without inflammatory activation. Together, these findings implicate ingestion of MPs as bioactive dietary contaminant that disrupt gut-endocrine communication and compromise skeletal homeostasis, uncovering a previously unrecognized pathway linking environmental plastic exposure to bone health.

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
Emory University (US), University of New Mexico (US), New Mexico Cancer Center (US), University of California, Davis (US)
National Cancer Institute, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
Openalex Percentile: Top 30%
Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.