Alteration of gut microbial community after N,N-Dimethylformamide exposure

N,N-Dimethylformamide (DMF), a solvent commonly used in factories, can induce liver toxicities, including hepatitis, fibrosis, cirrhosis and hepatoma. It is well known that the gut microbial community plays a role in the metabolism of many toxic substance and in liver regeneration. However, the effect of DMF on rat gut microbial community is poorly understood. The gut microbiotas in control rats and rats exposed to DMF were characterized by high-throughput sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. The levels of biochemical parameters in the serum of rats, including cholesterol, bile acid, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), were evaluated. The weight was lower in the DMF exposure group than in the control group. DMF exposure led to changes in gut microbiotas that were reflected in a decreased abundance of Prevotellaceae, Lactobacillaceae, and increased abundance of S24-7, Baceroidaceae, Rikenellaceae and Peptostreptococcaceae. Compared with control group, the cholesterol level was substantially reduced in the DMF exposure group (p < 0.05), while the concentration of bile acid was significantly increased in the DMF exposure group (p < 0.05). The present data established that the gut microbiotasy were changed after DMF exposure, and it revealed the relationship between DMF and gut microbiotas for the first time.