Size-dependent plastic exposure disrupts macrophage function and tissue-specific metabolism

Plastic pollution is an emerging yet understudied environmental risk to the immune system. Once ingested, microplastic and nanoplastic particles (MNPs) can translocate from the gut to internal organs1–3, with macrophages serving as primary targets4. Kupffer cells (KCs), the liver-resident macrophages, have a central role in immune surveillance and metabolism5, yet their response to MNPs remains unclear. Here we identify KCs as the primary hepatic reservoir for MNPs in young male mice. Chronic plastic exposure over 12 weeks alters their transcriptional profile, impairs phagocytic function and is associated with metabolic dysregulation of hepatocytes. Microplastics, but not nanoplastics, reduce KC-mediated clearance of circulating cells. Under diet-induced obesity, microplastics exacerbate hepatic lipid accumulation, while nanoplastics alter systemic glucose metabolism and energy expenditure. These findings demonstrate that chronic MNP exposure disrupts macrophage function in a size-dependent manner, with subsequent distinct consequences for liver and systemic metabolism. This study reports that chronic exposure to microplastic and nanoplastic particles differentially affects Kupffer cells, which impairs their function and has consequences on both liver and systemic metabolism.

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Publication Details

Journal
Nature Metabolism
Published
2026-09-29
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-026-01615-8
Primary Topic
Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
Type
article
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article

Size-dependent plastic exposure disrupts macrophage function and tissue-specific metabolism

Eliana Franco Taveras, Jöerg Heeren, Hannes Beckert, Katharina Mauel et al.
Nature Metabolism
Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
article

Size-dependent plastic exposure disrupts macrophage function and tissue-specific metabolism

Eliana Franco Taveras, Jöerg Heeren, Hannes Beckert, Katharina Mauel, Lisa Maria Steinheuer, Nelli Blank, David Alejandro Bejarano, Jake R. Thomas, Katharina Sieckmann, Sandra Högler, Lukas Kenner, Stefan Böhmdorfer, Quentin Deveuve, Frederike J. Graelmann, Elvira Mass, Felix Meissner, Fabrizio Musacchio, Dagmar Wachten, Kevin Thurley, Nikola Makdissi, Mohamed H. Yaghmour, Martin Fuhrmann, Maria Francesca Viola, Falk Nimmerjahn, Andreas Schlitzer, Ronja Kardinal, Christoph Thiele, Diana Fink, Nele Kronau, Marie-Louise Diefenbach-Wilke, Marina Luisa Mayer, Akram Abdulkadyrov, Virginia Aliprandi
article en

Abstract

Plastic pollution is an emerging yet understudied environmental risk to the immune system. Once ingested, microplastic and nanoplastic particles (MNPs) can translocate from the gut to internal organs1–3, with macrophages serving as primary targets4. Kupffer cells (KCs), the liver-resident macrophages, have a central role in immune surveillance and metabolism5, yet their response to MNPs remains unclear. Here we identify KCs as the primary hepatic reservoir for MNPs in young male mice. Chronic plastic exposure over 12 weeks alters their transcriptional profile, impairs phagocytic function and is associated with metabolic dysregulation of hepatocytes. Microplastics, but not nanoplastics, reduce KC-mediated clearance of circulating cells. Under diet-induced obesity, microplastics exacerbate hepatic lipid accumulation, while nanoplastics alter systemic glucose metabolism and energy expenditure. These findings demonstrate that chronic MNP exposure disrupts macrophage function in a size-dependent manner, with subsequent distinct consequences for liver and systemic metabolism. This study reports that chronic exposure to microplastic and nanoplastic particles differentially affects Kupffer cells, which impairs their function and has consequences on both liver and systemic metabolism.

Nature Metabolism
University of Bonn (DE), Universität Hamburg (DE), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (DE), University Hospital Bonn (DE), German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DE), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (DE), BOKU University (AT)
Openalex Percentile: Top 23%
Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
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