The role of host microbiota in chemically induced metabolic disruption

Metabolic diseases and syndromes such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease are rapidly emerging worldwide, and similar trends of the phenomena are also seen among wildlife.Increase in metabolic impairment correlates with industrialization and release of xenobiotic chemicals to the environment and the food chain.

Dysbiosis of the gut microbiota is another risk factor of metabolic impairment.

Although several environmental pollutants have shown to alter the gut microbiota, little is known regarding the link between chemical exposure, microbiota dysbiosis and impaired metabolic function.We hypothesise that the interaction between xenobiotic chemicals and gut microbiota pose a critical mode of action (MoA) for metabolic disruption.

To study this we aim to:Determine the impact of xenobiotic chemicals on the gut microbiota Investigate the effect of microbiota on host physiology in response to chemical exposureIdentify MoA underlying the link between chemically induced microbiota dysbiosis and metabolic disruptionOur proposal relies on the analysis of microbiota-host interactions, utilizing zebrafish embryo models to interrogate the effect of environmental pollutants on biological processes associated with metabolic disorders.

We will identify key effect markers underlying metabolic disruption that can be utilized to establish an efficient and biologically relevant screening platform to interrogate metabolic disruptive potencies of environmental pollutants.