1. Academic Validation
  2. Role of microbial microbes in arsenic bioaccumulation and biotransformation in mice

Role of microbial microbes in arsenic bioaccumulation and biotransformation in mice

  • Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2023 Mar 6;116447. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2023.116447.
Liping Huang 1 Zijun Ye 1 Qianyu Zhao 1 Yujie Li 1 Zhi-Guo Yu 2 Wei Zhang 3
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
  • 2 School of Hydrology and Water Resources, Nanjing University of InformationScience and Technology, Nanjing, China.
  • 3 School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
Abstract

Although gut microbes can affect the accumulation and metabolism of arsenic (As), the microbes contributing to these processes remain largely unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the bioaccumulation and biotransformation of arsenate [As(V)] and arsenobetaine (AsB) in mice with a disordered gut microbiome. We used cefoperazone (Cef) to construct a mouse model of gut microbiome disruption along with 16S rRNA sequencing to elucidate the effect of gut microbiome destruction on the biotransformation and bioaccumulation of As(V) and AsB. This revealed the role of specific bacteria in As metabolism. Gut microbiome destruction increased the bioaccumulation of As(V) and AsB in various organs and reduced the excretion of As(V) and AsB in the feces. Further, gut microbiome destruction was found to be important for the biotransformation of As(V). Interference with Cef can significantly decrease Blautia and Lactobacillus while increasing Enterococcus, leading to increase As accumulation in mice and enhanced methylation. We also identified Lachnoclostridium, Erysipelatoclostridium, Blautia, Lactobacillus, and Enterococcus as biomarkers involved in As bioaccumulation and biotransformation. In conclusion, specific microbes can increase As accumulation in the host, exacerbating its potential health risks.

Keywords

Arsenic; Blautia; Cefoperazone; Enterococcus; Gut microbiome; Lactobacillus.

Figures
Products