Polylactic acid microplastics

2 papers7 findings

C, W, M, H: cells, worms or flies, mice, humans. Dark: independent labs found the same change there. Light: one lab or one study. Outline: nothing yet.

Labs are independent when their papers share no last author and no institution.

Against: findings that point the other way from most findings on the same outcome.

On aging: the drug’s trials ARN judged to be about aging, of every trial that tests it for any use.

No results posted: trials that ended more than a year ago with no results on ClinicalTrials.gov and no paper in ARN’s record.

Company ties: findings with an author at a company, or from a paper whose competing-interests statement declares ties to one.

1 lab in 1 country

Funders: National Natural Science Foundation of China and 1 more

Animals2

Outcomes

6

Cellular senescence

upin mice2

2 studies

Polylactic acid microplastics induce cellular senescence in mice.
“We also observed the accumulation of senescent Leydig cells in the testis, along with inhibited autophagy and mitophagy.”
Animalstestis28 daysmales
Polylactic acid microplastic exposure induced male reproductive toxicity and decreased testosterone levels by accelerating Leydig cell senescence
Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987)7 Feb 2026
Polylactic acid microplastics induce cellular senescence in mice.
“Further studies found that ferroptosis and senescence were observed in the hearts of adolescent mice exposed to PLA-MPs.”
Animalsheart28 days
Adolescent exposure to polylactic acid microplastics causes cardiac fibrosis by promoting cardiomyocyte senescence
Toxicology20 Oct 2025

More on Cellular senescence

Mitophagy

downin mice1

1 study

Polylactic acid microplastics inhibit mitophagy in mice.
“Overall, our study revealed that PLA-MPs inhibit autophagy and mitophagy, thereby promoting Leydig cell senescence and subsequently reducing testosterone synthesis and secretion.”
Animalstestis28 daysmales
Polylactic acid microplastic exposure induced male reproductive toxicity and decreased testosterone levels by accelerating Leydig cell senescence
Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987)7 Feb 2026

More on Mitophagy

Autophagy

downin mice1

1 study

Polylactic acid microplastics inhibit autophagy in mice.
“Overall, our study revealed that PLA-MPs inhibit autophagy and mitophagy, thereby promoting Leydig cell senescence and subsequently reducing testosterone synthesis and secretion.”
Animalstestis28 daysmales
Polylactic acid microplastic exposure induced male reproductive toxicity and decreased testosterone levels by accelerating Leydig cell senescence
Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987)7 Feb 2026

More on Autophagy

Testosterone

downin mice1

1 study

Polylactic acid microplastics decrease testosterone in mice.
“PLA-MPs were enriched in mouse testes and led to a dose-dependent decrease in the serum testosterone concentration.”
Animalsserum28 daysmales
Polylactic acid microplastic exposure induced male reproductive toxicity and decreased testosterone levels by accelerating Leydig cell senescence
Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987)7 Feb 2026

More on Testosterone

Ferroptosis

upin mice1

1 study

Polylactic acid microplastics induce ferroptosis in mice.
“Further studies found that ferroptosis and senescence were observed in the hearts of adolescent mice exposed to PLA-MPs.”
Animalsheart28 days
Adolescent exposure to polylactic acid microplastics causes cardiac fibrosis by promoting cardiomyocyte senescence
Toxicology20 Oct 2025

More on Ferroptosis

Cardiac fibrosis

upin mice1

1 study

Polylactic acid microplastics induce cardiac fibrosis in mice.
“Adolescent mice exposed to PLA-MPs for 28 days showed obvious cardiac developmental toxicity, manifested as disordered arrangement of myocardial cells, thinning of myocardial thickness and fibrosis.”
Animalsheart28 days
Adolescent exposure to polylactic acid microplastics causes cardiac fibrosis by promoting cardiomyocyte senescence
Toxicology20 Oct 2025

More on Cardiac fibrosis

Latest

1 in 12 months

Environmental Pollution10 Feb

Polylactic acid microplastic exposure induced male reproductive toxicity and decreased testosterone levels by accelerating Leydig cell senescence

Experiments in miceCellular senescence

Toxicology23 Oct

Adolescent exposure to polylactic acid microplastics causes cardiac fibrosis by promoting cardiomyocyte senescence

Experiments in miceCellular senescence