Prenatal Lead Exposure Is Associated with Reduced Abundance of Beneficial Gut Microbial Cliques in Late Childhood: An Investigation Using Microbial Co-Occurrence Analysis (MiCA).

ABSTRACT: Many analytical methods used in gut microbiome research focus on either single bacterial taxa or the whole microbiome, ignoring multibacteria relationships (microbial cliques). We present a novel analytical approach to identify microbial cliques within the gut microbiome of children at 9-11 years associated with prenatal lead (Pb) exposure. Data came from a subset of participants (n = 123) in the Programming Research in Obesity, Growth, Environment and Social Stressors cohort. Pb concentrations were measured in maternal whole blood from the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Stool samples collected at 9-11 years old underwent metagenomic sequencing to assess the gut microbiome. Using a novel analytical approach, Microbial Co-occurrence Analysis (MiCA), we paired a machine lea

SUBMITTER: Midya V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10634322 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature