Asthma & COPD Patients At Cancer Risk From Microplastics

Individuals with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were more vulnerable than healthy controls to epithelial cell changes caused by microplastics exposure, based on data from a new simulation study.

Microplastic fibers present in the ambient air can be inhaled into the lungs and promote a range of complications including oxidative stress, local injury, and cytotoxicity, but data on the effects of microplastic fibers on individuals with obstructive lung diseases are limited, wrote Magdalena Poplinska-Goryca, MD, of the Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland, and colleagues. 

In a study published in Scientific Reports, the researchers identified 10 adults aged ≥ 18 years with asthma, 8 adults aged ≥ 40 years with COPD, and 11 healthy adult controls. Individuals with more serious conditions such as severe asthma or COPD, unstable or uncontrolled disease, concomitant malignancies, or chronic or acute lung disease were excluded.

The researchers obtained nasal epithelial cells from all participants, and exposed these cells to microplastic fibers created by the researchers in a laboratory setting. Overall, asthmatic and COPD airway epithelial cells showed a different reaction to microplastic fibers stimulation compared to healthy epithelial cells. The most significant response was associated with Th2 inflammation, modulation of stress response, and carcinogenesis. No differences in cytotoxic or minor inflammatory effects on epithelial cells of patients with asthma or COPD were noted compared with healthy controls. 

In addition, flow cytometric analysis showed increased CD24+ epithelial cells in asthma patients compared to controls after microplastics exposure.

“Many of the gene candidates selected from RNA-Seq analysis are related to cancer (upregulated in many cancer types according to the literature), and the activation of CD24 on primarily ciliated asthmatic epithelial cells after microplastic stimulation further supports this theory,” the researchers wrote.

The findings were limited by several factors including the use of nasal rather than bronchial epithelial cells, which would have yielded more information, the researchers noted. Also, patients with severe asthma and COPD were excluded, they said, because of the impact of oral steroid and antibiotic use by this patient group on epithelial cell immunology that could bias the results of epithelial response to microplastic fiber exposure.

However, the results suggest that “the structural impairment of the airway epithelium in obstructive diseases enhances the impact of microplastic particles compared to healthy epithelium,” the researchers concluded.

Current and Future Implications

The current study is important in addressing the increasing environmental presence of microplastics and their potential impact on respiratory health, said Seyedmohammad Pourshahid, MD, assistant professor of thoracic medicine and surgery at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, in an interview.

“By examining how microplastics interact with airway epithelial cells, particularly in individuals with asthma and COPD, the research aims to elucidate mechanisms that could contribute to disease progression or exacerbation,” he said. 

“The study’s findings that microplastics did not induce a strong inflammatory response, unlike other pollutants such as PM_2.5, were unexpected; instead, microplastics appeared to influence pathways related to airway remodeling and oxidative stress,” Pourshahid noted. “This suggests that microplastics may affect respiratory health through mechanisms distinct from traditional pollutants,” he said.

“While preliminary, this research highlights the potential role of environmental microplastic exposure in respiratory diseases,” Pourshahid told Medscape Medical News. “Clinicians should be aware of emerging environmental factors that could impact patient health, especially in individuals with asthma and COPD. This awareness may inform patient education and advocacy for reducing exposure to airborne microplastics,” he said.

More studies are needed to explore the long-term effects of microplastic exposure on respiratory health, particularly in vulnerable populations, said Pourshahid. Research with in vivo models is necessary to confirm the findings and assess potential clinical implications to confirm these findings and assess potential clinical implications, he said. “Understanding the prevalence and sources of daily microplastic exposure can inform public health strategies to mitigate risks,” he added.

The study was supported by the Jakub Potocki Foundation. Paplińska-Goryca and Pourshahid had no financial conflicts to disclose.