High Fluoride Exposure Disrupts Gut Microbiota and Induces Intestinal Barrier Damage via Rhoa/rock-Mediated Cytoskeletal Remodeling

Scout Impact

This study investigates the impact of high fluoride exposure on gut health, demonstrating that it disrupts the gut microbiota and damages the intestinal barrier in mice. The study confirms that fluoride exposure activates the RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway, leading to increased intestinal permeability. Scout penalizes fluoride due to its confirmed negative effects on gut integrity and microbiota balance.

Key Findings

• Finding 1: High fluoride exposure activates the RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway, increasing phosphorylated myosin light chain (p-MLC) levels.
• Finding 2: Fluoride induces filamentous actin (F-actin) rearrangement and disrupts the apical junctional complex (AJC), affecting proteins like ZO-1, Claudin-1, β-catenin, and Occludin.
• Finding 3: High fluoride exposure increases ileal permeability and alters intestinal epithelial cell morphology.
• Finding 4: Fluoride disrupts the ileal microbiota, with significant changes in Bifidobacterium sp. SO1 and Schaalia turicensis, and abnormal enrichment of Lactobacillus and Akkermansia.
• Finding 5: Metabolomic analysis shows altered linoleic acid and sphingolipid metabolism, with changes in 11 cytoskeleton-related metabolites.

Limitations

• Limitation 1: The study is conducted on mice, which may limit direct applicability to human health.
• Limitation 2: The study focuses on acute high-fluoride exposure, which may not reflect typical environmental exposure levels.