2. Academic Validation
  3. Effects of BBIBP-CorV vaccine on gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids in mice exposed to bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and dioctyl terephthalate

Effects of BBIBP-CorV vaccine on gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids in mice exposed to bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and dioctyl terephthalate

  • Environ Int. 2024 Jun 24:190:108851. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108851.
Miaomiao Teng 1,  Jiaqi Sun 2,  Lihui Zhao 3,  Yunxia Li 1,  Zixuan Zhang 1,  Wentao Zhu 4,  Yuntao Zhang 5,  Fangjingwei Xu 5,  Sixi Xing 5,  Xiaoli Zhao 6,  Fengchang Wu 7
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China.
  • 2 School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China.
  • 3 College of Geoexploration Science and Technology, Jilin University, Changchun 130026, China.
  • 4 Innovation Center of Pesticide Research, Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
  • 5 China National Biotec Group Company Limited, Beijing 100024, China.
  • 6 State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China. Electronic address: zhaoxiaoli_zxl@126.com.
  • 7 State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China. Electronic address: wufengchang@vip.skleg.cn.
PMID: 38941942 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108851
Abstract

As the COVID-19 pandemic has progressed, increasing evidences suggest that the gut microbiota may play a crucial role in the effectiveness of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. Thus, this study was aimed at investigating the influence of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine on the gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) of organisms exposed to environmental contaminants, i.e., plasticizers: phthalate esters. We found that in mice, exposure to dioctyl terephthalate (DOTP) and bis -2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) decreased the blood glucose level and white fat weight, induced inflammatory responses, caused damage to liver and intestinal tissues, and disrupted the gut microbiota composition and SCFAs metabolism. Specifically, the Bacteroidetes phylum was positively correlated with BBIBP-CorV vaccine, while acetic acid was negatively associated with the vaccine. Interestingly, the BBIBP-CorV vaccine somewhat alleviated tissue inflammation and reduced the contents of acetic acid and propionic acid in mice exposed to DEHP and DOTP. These findings were confirmed by a fecal microbiota transplantation assay. Overall, this study revealed that exposure to DEHP and DOTP adversely affects the gut microbiota and SCFAs, while the BBIBP-CorV vaccine can protect mice against these effects. This work highlighted the relationship between BBIBP-CorV vaccination, gut microbiome composition, and responses to plasticizers, which may facilitate the development and risk assessment of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and environmental contaminants on microbiota health.

Keywords

DEHP; DOTP; Gut microbiota; Inflammation; Short-chain fatty acids; Vaccine.

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