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Roundup-Induced Gut Dysbiosis, Irrelevant to Aromatic Amino Acid Deficiency, Impairs the Gut Function in Rats

  • 0Shaanxi Engineering Laboratory for Food Green Processing and Safety Control, and Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Hazard Factors Assessment in Processing and Storage of Agricultural Products, College of Food Engineering and Nutritional Science, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710119, China.
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry +

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September 20, 2024

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September 20, 2024

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Chronic Roundup exposure, independent of aromatic amino acid (AAA) deficiency, severely damages gut health in rats. Gut microbiota plays a crucial role in Roundup-induced gut dysfunction, suggesting microbiota-based therapeutic strategies.

Area Of Science

  • Environmental Toxicology
  • Microbiology
  • Gastroenterology

Background

  • Glyphosate-based herbicides like Roundup are widely used globally.
  • Concerns exist regarding glyphosate's potential to disrupt gut microbiota by inhibiting aromatic amino acid (AAA) synthesis.
  • Previous research on Roundup's impact on gut health and its underlying mechanisms remains debated.

Purpose Of The Study

  • To evaluate the effects of chronic Roundup exposure on gut health, with and without supplemental AAA.
  • To investigate the role of gut microbiota in Roundup-induced gut dysfunction using fecal microbiota transplantation.
  • To elucidate the specific mechanisms by which Roundup impacts gut health.

Main Methods

  • Chronic exposure of rats to Roundup (500 mg/kg·bw) with and without AAA supplementation.
  • Fecal microbiota transplantation from Roundup-treated rats to healthy rats.
  • Analysis of gut microbial composition, oxidative stress biomarkers (MDA, GSH-Px, SOD, GSH, H2O2), and inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, IL-10) in serum, cecum, and colon.
  • Histopathological examination of intestinal tissues.

Main Results

  • Roundup exposure caused significant gut microbial dysbiosis, oxidative stress, intestinal inflammation, and histopathological injury, particularly in female rats, irrespective of AAA levels.
  • Roundup-altered gut microbiota mimicked Roundup's detrimental effects on oxidative stress biomarkers and induced significant increases in pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α) and a decrease in IL-10.
  • Fecal microbiota transplantation from Roundup-treated rats to healthy recipients resulted in mitigated gut inflammation, oxidative damage, and intestinal injury, indicating the microbiota's central role.

Conclusions

  • Chronic Roundup exposure induces severe gut dysfunction, including microbial dysbiosis, oxidative stress, and inflammation, independent of AAA deficiency.
  • The gut microbiota is a critical mediator of Roundup-induced gut injury, with Roundup-shaped microbiota capable of causing significant damage.
  • These findings underscore the importance of considering gut microbiota in assessing Roundup's safety and suggest potential for microbiota-based interventions.

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