The widespread use of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and its entry into humans and livestock
is of serious concern. In our study, we investigated the impact of PVC treatments
on physiological, pathological, hormonal, and microbiota changes in female rabbits.
Trend-like alterations in weight were observed in the spleen, liver, and kidney in
both low (P1) and high dose (P2) PVC treatment groups. Histopathological examination
revealed exfoliation of the intestinal mucosa in the treated groups compared to the
control, and microplastic particles were penetrated and embedded in the spleen. Furthermore,
both P1 and P2 showed increased 17-beta-estradiol (E2) hormone levels, indicating
early sexual maturation. Moreover, the elevated tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)
levels suggest inflammatory reactions associated with PVC treatment. Genus-level analyses
of the gut microbiota in group P2 showed several genera with increased or decreased
abundance. In conclusion, significant or trend-like correlations were demonstrated
between the PVC content of feed and physiological, pathological, and microbiota parameters.
To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the broad-spectrum effects
of PVC microplastic exposure in rabbits. These results highlight the potential health
risks associated with PVC microplastic exposure, warranting further investigations
in both animals and humans.
