Urinary lead concentration and composition of the adult gut microbiota in a cross-sectional population-based sample

Shoshannah Eggers; Nasia Safdar; Ajay K Sethi; Garret Suen; Paul E Peppard; Ashley E Kates; Joseph H Skarlupka; Marty Kanarek; Kristen M C Malecki

doi:10.1016/j.envint.2019.105122

Urinary lead concentration and composition of the adult gut microbiota in a cross-sectional population-based sample

Environ Int. 2019 Dec;133(Pt A):105122. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.105122. Epub 2019 Sep 10.

Authors

Shoshannah Eggers¹, Nasia Safdar², Ajay K Sethi³, Garret Suen⁴, Paul E Peppard⁵, Ashley E Kates⁶, Joseph H Skarlupka⁷, Marty Kanarek⁸, Kristen M C Malecki⁹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 610 Walnut St, WARF 707, Madison, WI 53726, USA; Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1057, New York, NY 10029, USA. Electronic address: shoshannah.eggers@mssm.edu.
² Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin - Madison, UW Med Fndtn Centennial Bldg, 1685 Highland Ave, Madison, WI 53705, USA; William S. Middleton Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 2500 Overlook Terrace, Madison, WI 53705, USA. Electronic address: ns2@medicine.wisc.edu.
³ Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 610 Walnut St, WARF 707, Madison, WI 53726, USA. Electronic address: ajay.sethi@wisc.edu.
⁴ Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 1550 Linden Dr, Madison, WI 53706, USA. Electronic address: gsuen@wisc.edu.
⁵ Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 610 Walnut St, WARF 707, Madison, WI 53726, USA. Electronic address: ppeppard@wisc.edu.
⁶ Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin - Madison, UW Med Fndtn Centennial Bldg, 1685 Highland Ave, Madison, WI 53705, USA; William S. Middleton Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 2500 Overlook Terrace, Madison, WI 53705, USA. Electronic address: akates@medicine.wisc.edu.
⁷ Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 1550 Linden Dr, Madison, WI 53706, USA. Electronic address: jhskarlupka@wisc.edu.
⁸ Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 610 Walnut St, WARF 707, Madison, WI 53726, USA; Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 122 Science Hall, 550 North Park St, Madison, WI 53706, USA. Electronic address: mkanarek@wisc.edu.
⁹ Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 610 Walnut St, WARF 707, Madison, WI 53726, USA. Electronic address: kmalecki@wisc.edu.

Abstract

Background: Lead (Pb) is a ubiquitous environmental contaminant with an array of detrimental health effects in children and adults, including neurological and immune dysfunction. Emerging evidence suggests that Pb exposure may alter the composition of the gut microbiota, however few studies have examined this association in human populations. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between urinary Pb concentration and the composition of the adult gut microbiota in a population-based sample of adults.

Methods: Data used in this study were collected as part of the Survey of the Health of Wisconsin (SHOW) and its ancillary microbiome study. The SHOW is a household-based health examination survey of Wisconsin residents, collecting a variety of survey data on health determinants and outcomes, as well as objective measurements of body habitus, and biological specimens including urine. The ancillary microbiome study added additional questions and biological specimen collection, including stool, from participants age 18+. Pb concentration was analyzed in urine samples, and gut microbiota composition was assessed using DNA sequencing of the 16S rRNA V4 region, extracted from stool samples. Data processing and statistical analyses were performed in mothur, Python, R, and SAS.

Results: Of 696 participants, urinary Pb concentration was highest in those age 70+, females, those with a high school diploma or lower, current and former smokers, and those without indoor pets. In adjusted models, increasing urinary Pb levels were associated with increases in microbial α-diversity (p = 0.071) and richness (p = 0.005). Differences in microbial β-diversity were significantly associated (p = 0.003) with differences in urinary Pb level. Presence of Proteobacteria, including members of the Burkholderiales, was significantly associated with increased urinary Pb.

Conclusion: These results suggest that Pb exposure is associated with differences in the composition of the adult gut microbiota in a population-based human sample. Further investigation of this association is warranted.

Keywords: 16S rRNA; Epidemiology; Heavy metals; Lead; Microbiome; Microbiota.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Cross-Sectional Studies
Feces / microbiology
Female
Gastrointestinal Microbiome*
Humans
Lead / urine*
Male
Middle Aged
RNA, Bacterial
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
Wisconsin
Young Adult

Substances

RNA, Bacterial
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
Lead

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

Grants and funding