Early Life Polychlorinated Biphenyl 126 Exposure Disrupts Gut Microbiota and Metabolic Homeostasis in Mice Fed with High-Fat Diet in Adulthood

Abstract

Evidence supports the potential influence of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) on the pathogenesis and progression of obesity and diabetes. Diet-toxicant interactions appear to be important in diet-induced obesity/diabetes; however, the factors influencing this interaction, especially the early life environmental exposure, are unclear. Herein, we investigated the metabolic effects following early life five-day exposure (24 μg/kg body weight per day) to 3,3′,4,4′,5-pentacholorobiphenyl (PCB 126) at four months after exposure in mice fed with control (CTRL) or high-fat diet (HFD). Activation of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) signaling as well as higher levels of liver nucleotides were observed at 4 months after PCB 126 exposure in mice, independent of diet status. Inflammatory responses including higher levels of serum cytokines and adipose inflammatory gene expression caused by early life PCB 126 were observed only in HFD-fed mice in adulthood. Notably, early life PCB 126 exposure worsened HFD-induced impaired glucose homeostasis characterized by glucose intolerance and elevated gluconeogenesis and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle flux without worsening the effects of HFD related to adiposity in adulthood. Furthermore, early life PCB 126 exposure resulted in diet-dependent changes in bacterial community structure and function later in life, as indicated by metagenomic and metabolomic analyses. These data contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the interactions between diet and early life environmental chemical exposure.