Diesel exhaust particles alter the profile and function of the gut microbiota upon subchronic oral administration in mice

BACKGROUND: Ambient air pollution by particulate matters, including diesel exhaust particles (DEP), is a major cause of cardiovascular and metabolic mortality worldwide. The mechanisms by which DEP cause these adverse outcomes are not completely understood. Because the gut microbiota controls cardiovascular and metabolic health, we hypothesized that the fraction of inhaled DEP which reach the gut after mucociliary clearance and swallowing might induce gut dysbiosis and, in turn, contribute to aggravate or induce cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. RESULTS: Female ApoE(−/−) mice fed a Western diet, and wild-type (C57Bl/6) mice fed standard diet were gavaged with DEP (SRM2975) doses corresponding to mucociliary clearance from inhalation exposure (200 or 1000 ng/day, 3 times a week for 3 months; and 40, 200 or 1000 ng/day, 3 times a week for 6 months, respectively). No mortality, overt systemic or digestive toxicity was observed. A dose-dependent alteration of the gut microbiota was recorded in both strains. In ApoE(−/−), β-diversity was modified by DEP, but no significant modification of the relative abundance of the phyla, families or genera was identified. In C57BL/6 mice, DEP reduced α-diversity (Shannon and Simpson indices), and modified β-diversity, including a reduction of the Proteobacteria and Patescibacteria phyla, and an increase of the Campylobacterota phylum. In both mouse models, perturbation of the gut microbiota composition was associated with a dose-dependent reduction of bacterial short chain fatty acids (butyrate and propionate) in cecal content. However, DEP ingestion did not aggravate (ApoE(−/−)), or induce (C57BL/6 mice) atherosclerotic plaques, and no metabolic alteration (glucose tolerance, resistance to insulin, or lipidemia) was recorded. CONCLUSIONS: We show here that oral exposure to DEP, at doses relevant for human health, changes the composition and function of the gut microbiota. These modifications were, however, not translated into ultimate atherosclerotic or metabolic outcomes. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12989-021-00400-7.