Effects of lambda-cyhalothrin on gut microbiota and related bile acid metabolism in mice

Since the gut microbiota plays a crucial role in host metabolism and homeostasis, its alterations induced by xenobiotics such as pesticides, could pose a risk to host health. The pyrethroid insecticides were frequently detected in surface water (up to 13 mg/L worldwide), sediments, and agricultural products; additionally, some previous studies indicated that pyrethroid insecticides could cause disruption of gut homeostasis. Hence herein, the normally used pyrethroid lambda-cyhalothrin (LCT) was selected and studied for its effects on the intestinal microbial community and its related bile acid metabolism using mice as the model species. Results showed that the total amount of bile acids in plasma and fecal samples from LCT treated mice markedly increased compared to controls, which could be mainly ascribed to the significantly raised proportions of taurine conjugated bile acids in plasma, and the increase in fecal secondary bile acids. In gut microbial profiles, a significantly increased richness of Prevotellacea and a depletion of Lachnospiraceae were found at the family level upon the treatment with lambda-cyhalothrin. In conclusion, results obtained on bacterial and bile acid profiles corroborate that the treatment of mice with LCT could affect gut microbial community with accompanying changes in bile acid homeostasis.