University Texas A&M UniversityA common microplastic may increase the risk of fatty liver disease, a study finds. Their findings suggest that polyethylene may contribute to fatty liver disease and worsen the condition when combined with an unhealthy diet. While previous studies have largely focused on other types of microplastics, researchers knew relatively little about how polyethylene affects liver health. Although this study provides important insight into how polyethylene affects liver health, it also opens several new avenues for research. “This is the pioneering study showing that polyethylene can contribute to fatty liver disease and the use of spatial transcriptomics has determined exactly where the damage has happened within the liver,” Joshi says.