Minimal Traffic Pollution Can Impair Liver Health
Click to start listening
Synopsis
A recent study reveals that just 10 micrograms of traffic-related PM2.5 particles daily can harm liver health and elevate the risk of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease. This finding underscores the broader health impacts of air pollution, which may extend beyond respiratory issues.
Key Takeaways
- 10 micrograms of PM2.5 can harm liver.
- Fatty liver is the most common liver disease.
- Environmental factors are crucial in fatty liver disease.
- Air pollution affects the liver, not just lungs.
- Increased inflammation and scar tissue observed.
New Delhi, Jan 31 (NationPress) Just 10 micrograms of traffic-related PM2.5 particles per day can potentially damage your liver and increase the risk of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease, as revealed by a recent study published on Friday.
Hepatic steatosis, commonly known as fatty liver, is the most prevalent liver disorder globally, characterized by excessive fat accumulation in liver cells.
Prior research has highlighted lifestyle choices such as poor diet, insufficient physical activity, and excessive alcohol consumption as primary contributors to fatty liver.
However, the latest investigation conducted in mice indicates that environmental factors, particularly exposure to traffic-related air pollution, may also play a significant role in the disease's development.
According to the study's lead author, Professor Hui Chen from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), "While air pollution is often associated with lung damage, its adverse effects extend to other health aspects, including liver health."
"When we breathe in polluted air, tiny particles known as PM2.5 enter the bloodstream via the lungs. The liver, tasked with detoxifying the blood, accumulates these harmful substances, including heavy metals like arsenic, lead, nickel, and zinc," Chen elaborated.
The research, published in the Journal of Environmental Sciences, involved exposing mice to 10 micrograms of traffic-derived PM2.5 particles daily.
The researchers monitored inflammation, fibrosis, and variations in liver sugars and fats over intervals of four, eight, and twelve weeks.
While no significant changes were observed at four weeks, by eight weeks, the liver's normal metabolic functions were disrupted. By the twelve-week mark, 64 specific functional proteins in the liver exhibited alterations, many of which were associated with conditions such as fatty liver disease and immune dysfunction.
The exposure to air pollution particles resulted in increased immune cell accumulation in the liver, leading to heightened inflammation and more scar tissue formation, according to the researchers.
They also noted an increase in potentially harmful fats, including triglycerides, diacylglycerols, and ceramides, in the liver of the exposed mice.
