Oral exposure to the heavy metal lead (Pb) causes various dysfunctions in animals. However, the influence of gut bacteria on Pb absorption, bioaccumulation, and excretion is largely unknown. In this study, we use a mouse model to investigate the relationship between gut microbiota, Pb-intolerant intestinal microbes and Pb toxicity. First, mice were treated with a broad-spectrum antibiotic cocktail to deplete their gut microbiota, and were then acutely and orally exposed to Pb at 1304 mg/kg for 3 days. Compared to the control mice, antibiotic-treated mice had increased Pb concentrations in the blood and primary organs and decreased Pb fecal concentrations, suggesting that gut microbiota limited the Pb burden that developed from acute oral Pb exposure. Next, three Pb-intolerant gut microbes, Akkermansia muciniphila, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, and Oscillibacter ruminantium, were orally administered to mice, and their effects against Pb toxicity were evaluated. F. prausnitzii treatment significantly promoted the fecal Pb excretion and reduced Pb concentrations in blood (from 152.70 ± 25.62 μg/dL to 92.20 ± 24.33 μg/dL) and primary tissues. Supplementation with O. ruminantium significantly decreased Pb concentrations in blood (from 152.70 ± 25.62 μg/dL to 104.60 ± 29.85 μg/dL) and kidney (from 7.30 ± 1.08 μg/g to 5.64 ± 0.79 μg/g). Treatment with F. prausnitzii and O. ruminantium also upregulated tight junction (TJ) protein expression and the production of short-chain fatty acids by colonic microbiota, and showed protective effects against liver and kidney toxicity. These results indicate the potential for reducing Pb toxicity by the modulation of gut microbiota.

中文翻译：

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口服补充不耐受铅的肠道微生物可预防小鼠铅 (Pb) 中毒。


口服重金属铅 (Pb) 会导致动物出现各种功能障碍。然而，肠道细菌对铅吸收、生物蓄积和排泄的影响在很大程度上尚不清楚。在这项研究中，我们使用小鼠模型来研究肠道微生物群、铅不耐受肠道微生物和铅毒性之间的关系。首先，用广谱抗生素混合物治疗小鼠，以消除其肠道微生物群，然后急性口服暴露于 1304 mg/kg 的铅 3 天。与对照小鼠相比，接受抗生素治疗的小鼠血液和主要器官中的铅浓度增加，粪便中的铅浓度降低，这表明肠道微生物群限制了急性口服铅暴露引起的铅负荷。接下来，将三种不耐受铅的肠道微生物（Akkermansia muciniphila、Faecalibacter prausnitzii 和 Oscillbacter ruminantium）口服给小鼠，并评估它们对铅毒性的作用。 F. prausnitzii 处理显着促进了粪便中 Pb 的排泄，并降低了血液和原发组织中的 Pb 浓度（从 152.70 ± 25.62 μg/dL 至 92.20 ± 24.33 μg/dL）。补充反刍动物 O. ruminantium 可显着降低血液中的 Pb 浓度（从 152.70 ± 25.62 μg/dL 降至 104.60 ± 29.85 μg/dL）和肾脏中的 Pb 浓度（从 7.30 ± 1.08 μg/g 降至 5.64 ± 0.79 μg/g）。用普拉梭菌和反刍动物进行处理还上调了紧密连接 (TJ) 蛋白的表达和结肠微生物群短链脂肪酸的产生，并显示出对肝和肾毒性的保护作用。这些结果表明通过调节肠道微生物群来降低铅毒性的潜力。