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Gut microbiome phenotypes driven by host genetics affect arsenic metabolism.
Kun Lu1, Ridwan Mahbub, Peter Hans Cable
1Department of Biological Engineering, ‡Division of Comparative Medicine, and §Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States.
Chemical Research in Toxicology
|February 5, 2014
Summary
Host genetics, specifically Interleukin-10 (IL-10) gene knockout, alters the gut microbiome. This change significantly impacts how the body metabolizes arsenic and its resulting toxicity.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Toxicology
- Microbiology
Background:
- Individual susceptibility to arsenic toxicity varies due to differences in arsenic metabolism.
- The gut microbiome's role in arsenic metabolism and systemic effects is increasingly recognized.
- The interplay between host genetics and the gut microbiome in arsenic biotransformation remains largely unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how host genetics, specifically Interleukin-10 (IL-10) gene knockout, influences the gut microbiome.
- To determine the effect of IL-10 gene knockout-induced microbiome changes on arsenic metabolism.
- To elucidate the interaction between host genetics and the gut microbiome in arsenic biotransformation.
Main Methods:
- Utilized 16S rRNA gene sequencing to analyze gut microbiome taxonomic composition.
- Employed High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-ICP-MS) for arsenic speciation.
- Integrated microbiome data with arsenic speciation data in IL-10 gene knockout models.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated significant taxonomic alterations in the gut microbiome of IL-10 gene knockout mice.
- Showed that these microbiome changes substantially affect the patterns of arsenic metabolism.
- Identified a link between genetic modification, microbiome composition, and arsenic biotransformation.
Conclusions:
- Host genetic background, exemplified by IL-10 deficiency, profoundly shapes the gut microbiome.
- The gut microbiome acts as a critical mediator in the host's response to arsenic exposure.
- Understanding host-microbiome interactions is essential for predicting individual susceptibility to arsenic-induced diseases.
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