Characterization of Microplastics in Human Gastric Cancer and Control Tissues and Analysis of Associated Genetic Features

Abstract The presence of microplastics in the human body has been widely confirmed. This study aimed to characterize the presence of microplastics in human gastric tissue and explore the relationship between microplastic exposure and gastric cancer risk, as well as the potential underlying molecular mechanisms. Microplastics present in human gastric tissues are characterized using three methods. Following this, the relationship between microplastic exposure and the development of gastric cancer, as well as the potential underlying molecular mechanisms, is explored using clinical case data and transcriptome sequencing. Microplastics are widely present in human gastric tissues, with a significantly higher microplastic load observed in gastric tumor tissues than para‐tumor and normal gastric tissues. Furthermore, a high microplastic load is significantly associated with lymph node metastasis in patients with gastric cancer. A high microplastic load leads to significant enrichment of biological processes and signaling pathways, such as cytotoxicity and oxidative stress. Additionally, a high microplastic load is associated with significant upregulation of genes associated with malignant disease, which is significantly associated with poor prognosis in patients with gastric cancer. Microplastic exposure may be a potential risk factor for the onset of gastric cancer.