Key Lab of Health Technology Assessment, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; School of Exercise and Health, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, China.
Key Lab of Health Technology Assessment, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
J Hazard Mater. 2024 May 5;469:133920. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133920. Epub 2024 Mar 3.
Studies on the role of the gut microbiota in the associations between per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) exposure and adverse neurodevelopment are limited. Umbilical cord serum and faeces samples were collected from children, and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was conducted. Generalized linear models, linear mixed-effects models, multivariate analysis by linear models and microbiome regression-based kernel association tests were used to evaluate the associations among PFAS exposure, the gut microbiota, and neurobehavioural development. Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) exposure was associated with increased scores for conduct problems and externalizing problems, as well as altered gut microbiota alpha and beta diversity. PFHxS concentrations were associated with higher relative abundances of Enterococcus spp. but lower relative abundances of several short-chain fatty acid-producing genera (e.g., Ruminococcus gauvreauii group spp.). PFHxS exposure was also associated with increased oxidative phosphorylation. Alpha and beta diversity were found significantly associated with conduct problems and externalizing problems. Ruminococcus gauvreauii group spp. abundance was positively correlated with prosocial behavior scores. Increased alpha diversity played a mediating role in the associations of PFHxS exposure with conduct problems. Our results suggest that the gut microbiota might play an important role in PFAS neurotoxicity, which may have implications for PFAS control.
关于肠道微生物群在全氟和多氟烷基物质 (PFAS) 暴露与不良神经发育之间的关联中的作用的研究有限。从儿童中采集脐带血清和粪便样本，并进行了长处和困难问卷 (SDQ) 调查。使用广义线性模型、线性混合效应模型、多元线性模型分析和基于微生物组回归的核关联检验来评估 PFAS 暴露、肠道微生物群和神经行为发育之间的关联。全氟己烷磺酸 (PFHxS) 暴露与行为问题和外化问题得分增加以及肠道微生物群 α 和 β 多样性改变有关。PFHxS 浓度与肠球菌属的相对丰度增加有关，但与几种产生短链脂肪酸的属（如 Ruminococcus gauvreauii 组 spp.）的相对丰度降低有关。PFHxS 暴露还与氧化磷酸化增加有关。α 和 β 多样性与行为问题和外化问题显著相关。Ruminococcus gauvreauii 组 spp. 的丰度与亲社会行为评分呈正相关。α 多样性增加在 PFHxS 暴露与行为问题之间的关联中起中介作用。我们的研究结果表明，肠道微生物群可能在 PFAS 神经毒性中发挥重要作用，这可能对 PFAS 控制具有重要意义。
