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The gut microbiome and arsenic-induced disease—iAs metabolism in mice

  • Metals and Health (R Fry, Section Editor)
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Abstract

Purpose of Review

This review summarizes inorganic arsenic (iAs) metabolism and toxicity in mice and the gut microbiome and how iAs and the gut microbiome interact to induce diseases.

Recent Findings

Recently, a variety of studies have started to reveal the interactions between iAs and the gut microbiome. Evidence shows that gut bacteria can influence iAs biotransformation and disease risks. The gut microbiome can directly metabolize iAs, and it can also indirectly be involved in iAs metabolism through the host, such as altering iAs absorption, cofactors, and genes related to iAs metabolism. Many factors, such as iAs metabolism influenced by the gut microbiome, and microbiome metabolites perturbed by iAs can lead to different disease risks.

Summary

iAs is a widespread toxic metalloid in environment, and iAs toxicity has become a global health issue. iAs is subject to metabolic reactions after entering the host body, including methylation, demethylation, oxidation, reduction, and thiolation. Different arsenic species, including trivalent and pentavalent forms and inorganic and organic forms, determine their toxicity. iAs poisoning is predominately caused by contaminated drinking water and food, and chronic arsenic toxicity can cause various diseases. Therefore, studies of iAs metabolism are important for understanding iAs associated disease risks.

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Funding

This work was support in part by the NIH grant (R01ES024950), the UNC-Superfund Research Program funding (P42-ES-031007), and the University of North Carolina Center for Environmental Health and Susceptibility with the NIH grant (P30ES010126).

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  1. Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA

    Yifei Yang, Liang Chi, Yunjia Lai, Yun-Chung Hsiao, Hongyu Ru & Kun Lu

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  1. Yifei Yang
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  2. Liang Chi
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  5. Hongyu Ru
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Correspondence to Kun Lu.

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Yang, Y., Chi, L., Lai, Y. et al. The gut microbiome and arsenic-induced disease—iAs metabolism in mice. Curr Envir Health Rpt 8, 89–97 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40572-021-00305-9

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