Associations of Stool Metal Exposures with Childhood Gut Microbiome Multiomics Profiles in a Prospective Birth Cohort Study

Metal exposures are closely related to childhood developmental
health. However, their effects on the childhood gut microbiome, which
also impacts health, are largely unexplored using microbiome multiomics
including the metagenome and metatranscriptome. This study examined
the associations of fecal profiles of metal/element exposures with
gut microbiome species and active functional pathways in 8- to 12-year-old
children (N = 116) participating in the GESTation
and Environment (GESTE) cohort study. We analyzed 19 stool metal and
element concentrations (B, Na, Mg, Al, K, Ca, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni,
Cu, Zn, As, Mo, Cd, Ba, and Pb). Covariate-adjusted linear regression
models identified several significant microbiome associations with
continuous stool metal/element concentrations. For instance, Zn was
positively associated with Turicibacter sanguinis (coef = 1.354, q-value = 0.039) and negatively
associated with Eubacterium eligens (coef = −0.794, q-value = 0.044). Higher concentrations of Cd were associated
with lower Eubacterium eligens (coef = −0.774, q-value = 0.045). Additionally, a total of 490 significant
functional pathways such as biosynthesis and degradation/utilization/assimilation
were identified, corresponding to different functions, including amino
acid synthesis and carbohydrate degradation. Our results suggest links
among metal exposures, pediatric gut microbiome multiomics, and potential
health implications. Future work will further explore their relation
to childhood health.