Multi-omics analyses of serum metabolome, urine metabolome and gut microbiome reveal dysregulated glycerophospholipid metabolism in subacute cadmium-exposed wistar rats

Data is limited on intestinal microbiota and metabolites in healthy residents exposed to cadmium (Cd), a population uniquely susceptible to Cd toxicity through contaminated foods. In this study, the 16 S rRNA gene sequencing, serum metabolomics and urine metabolomics were performed to examine the alterations of gut microbiota and metabolomics profile of wistar rats exposed to Cd. These findings indicated that Cd exposure markedly altered the structure of gut microbial community, reduced significantly microbiome diversity, and identified 5 phyla and 6 genera with significant changes. Specifically, the levels of Pseudoxanthomonas and Anaerovibrio upregulated and that of Akkermansia, Brachyspira, Aggregatibacter and SMB53 reduced in rats treated with Cd. Metabolomics profiles of the urine and serum of Cd-treated rats revealed that the abundance of glycerophospholipid metabolites and their derivatives were markedly altered. Glycerophospholipid metabolic pathways that were markedly enriched in metabolomics in both samples was also significantly predicted in gut microbiota analysis. Further, interaction analysis predicted that there might be a relationship between the differential glycerophospholipid metabolites and affected bacteria genera induced by Cd. These results suggested that subacute Cd could disrupt the intestinal microecologica equilibrium and glycerophospholipid metabolic homeostasis, and also provided potential differential microbiota and glycerophospholipid biomarkers between subacute Cd-exposed rats and healthy rats.