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The effect of obesogens on the microbiota and systemic health in zebrafish
Author(s) -
Tousignant K,
Uno Jenifer
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.29.1_supplement.850.2
Subject(s) - obesity , microbiome , gut flora , biology , zebrafish , firmicutes , population , atrazine , bifidobacterium , ecology , environmental health , pesticide , bioinformatics , medicine , bacteria , immunology , endocrinology , genetics , lactobacillus , 16s ribosomal rna , gene
Obesity affects 34% of the American population and is continuing to increase both in the US and around the world. The global obesity and diabetes epidemics are responsible for increasing medical costs and contribute to a number of dangerous health problems affecting millions of people. There is growing evidence that environmental toxins, such as obesogens, contribute to their development. The term obesogens covers a broad range of chemicals that are known to lead to increased fat accumulation and obesity. The ability these toxins have to alter metabolism and fat storage make them a crucial piece in understanding their contribution to obesity. The gut microbiome are involved in several processes within our bodies, including metabolism. The aim of this study is to examine the link between Atrazine, a common pesticide used in the US and known obesogen, and the microbiota. We expected Atrazine exposure to increase the presence of both Firmicutes and Bifidobacterium , as well as decrease Bacteriodes. Zebrafish were exposed to .25 ng/L and 0.50 ng/L Atrazine for two weeks. Following exposure bacterial DNA was isolated and analyzed using real time PCR. Results indicate an increase in Bifidobacterium , a phylum associated with carbohydrate metabolism, in treated fish, suggesting that obesogens may be changing the microbiota of the host in a way that favors excess fat storage. Understanding how the gut ecology and environmental chemicals are linked to obesity and diabetes may provide valuable insight to improving this dangerous global epidemic.