Impact of dietary exposure to microplastics on gut microbiota and the development of gut pathologies (colitis and colorectal cancer)

CONTEXT

Beyond exposure to marine and continental ecosystems, humans are potentially exposed to plastics through skin contact, inhalation, and food (Rahman, Sarkar et al. 2020). Evidence for human ingestion of microplastics comes from two studies: microplastics were detected in all human stool samples tested in Schwabl, Köppel et al. 2019, Zhang, Li et al. 2021.

There is ample evidence that ingestion of certain microplastics results in dysbiosis and intestinal dysfunction in several, primarily aquatic, animals. Recent data suggest that these toxic effects on the microbiota and intestinal epithelium may also reach mammals in response to ingestion of certain types of microplastics (Hirt and Body-Malapel 2020) (Li, Ding et al. 2020)).

Thus, there is an urgent need for an ambitious study on the effects of microplastics on gut health, with both environmental and human relevance.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this project is to evaluate the impact of dietary exposure to microplastics on the gut microbiota and the development of gut pathologies (colitis and colorectal cancer)

About the <br><strong>project </strong>

The objective of this project requires bringing together the skills of biochemists specialized in the study of microplastics and able to address the challenge of the environmental relevance of microplastics. In parallel, it also requires the skills of biologists specialized in the study of the health effects of food contaminants in order to meet the challenge of the human relevance of the studies carried out.

These skills are present in the Hauts-de-France region, and the alliance between the Anses and Inserm laboratories is a rare opportunity to carry out this project, which meets the high expectations of the scientific community and consumers.