Intestinal Barrier Impairment Induced by Gut Microbiome and Its Metabolites in School-age Children with Zinc Deficiency

This study aimed to examine the impact of zinc deficiency on the gut microbiota and metabolites of school-age children via the macrogenome and metabolome. A group of 30 school-aged children from Lujiagou Central Primary School in Lujiagou Town, Anding District, Dingxi City, Gansu Province were assessed for anthropometric measurements, serum zinc, and serum inflammatory factor levels. The children were then divided into a zinc deficiency group (ZD) and a control group (CK) based on their serum zinc results. Additionally, a metagenomic and metabolomic study was conducted to examine the composition and function of gut flora and metabolites in children with zinc deficiency. The results demonstrated a significant distinction in the gut microorganism composition of school-aged children between the ZD and CK groups. In the ZD group, Phocaeicola vulgatus, Alistipes putredinis, Bacteroides uniformis, Phocaeicola sp000434735, and Coprococcus eutactus were more abundant. Conversely, in the CK group, Blautia_A massiliensis, Bifidobacterium kashiwanohense, Dorea_A longicatena, Enorma sp900538305, and Anaerobutyricum hallii were more abundant. The functional annotation of the Carbohydrate Active Enzymes Database (CAZy) revealed significantly higher levels of various glycoside hydrolases (fucosidase, sialidase, galactosidase, N-acetylgalactosaminidase and N-acetylglucosaminidase) in the ZD group. Additionally, pro-inflammatory metabolites like saccharin and the potential factor inducing intestinal leakage, taurocholic acid, were significantly higher in the zinc deficiency group. In conclusion, zinc deficiency may disturb the gut flora of school-aged children, potentially impacting their metabolic function and resulting in changed levels of gut metabolites. The composition of the flora and metabolic profile of zinc-deficient children may have implications for human health.