Short-term trivalent arsenic and hexavalent chromium exposures induce gut dysbiosis and transcriptional alteration in adipose tissue of mice

Background Inorganic arsenic [As(III)] and hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] can potentially affect metabolic functions. These heavy metal(s)/metalloids can also affect the gut microbial architecture which affects metabolic health. Here, we assessed the effects of short-term exposure of As(III) and Cr(VI) on key transcription factors in adipose tissues and on selected gut microbial abundances to understand the possible modulatory role of these toxicants on host metabolic health. Methods and results qRT-PCR based relative bacterial abundance studies in cecal samples, gene expression analysis for gut wall integrity in ileum and colon and adipogenesis, lipolysis, and thermogenic genes in gonadal white and brown adipose tissue (gWAT and BAT), along with tissue oxidative stress parameters have been performed. As(III) and Cr(VI) exposure reduced beneficial Lactobacilli, Bifidobacteria, Akkermansia , Lachenospiraceae, Fecalibacterium, Eubacterium , and clostridium coccoid group while increasing lipopolysaccharides producing Enterobacteriaceae abundances. It also impaired structural features and expression of key tight junction and mucin production genes in ileum and colon ( Cld-2, Cld-4, ZO-1, ZO-2, MUC-2 and − 4 ). In gWAT it inhibited adipogenesis ( PPARγ, FASN, SREBP1a ), lipolysis ( HSL, ACOX-1 ), and thermogenesis ( UCP-1, PGC1a, PRDM-16, PPARa ) related genes expression, whereas in BAT, it enhanced adipogenesis and reduced thermogenesis. These exposures also reduces the endogenous antioxidants levels in these tissues and promote pro-inflammatory cytokines genes expression ( TLRs, IL-6, MCP-1 ). The combinatorial exposure appears to have more deleterious effects. Conclusion These effects of As(III) and Cr(VI) may not directly be linked to their known toxicological effects, instead, more intriguing crosstalk with gut microbial ecosystem hold the key.