Integrated gut microbiota and serum metabolomics reveal glyphosate-induced hepatic injury in mice

Glyphosate (GLP) is one of the most widely used herbicides in the world. However, its underlying effects on the liver remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the toxic effects and the gut microbiome– and serum metabolite–related mechanisms of GLP on the liver in mice.

16S rDNA sequencing and UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS were used to investigate the mechanisms of GLP toxicity in mice administered with 0, 50, 250 and 500 mg/kg/day GLP for 30 days.

GLP induced hepatocyte edema and ballooning as well as inflammatory cell infiltration. Exposure to GLP resulted in increased levels of serum ALT, TBIL, DBIL, and GLU. Microbiota analysis at the phylum level demonstrated that the proportions of Patescibacteria decreased in the GLP-treated group. The genus-level analysis identified 11 different genera, with eight decreased and three increased in the GLP-exposed group. Metabolomics analysis of serum showed 42 differential metabolites between the GLP and control groups. The metabolic pathway enrichment analysis revealed that the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) and pyrimidine metabolism were significantly activated. Spearman analysis showed that the changes in the differential metabolites of the PPP and pyrimidine metabolism and gut microbiota were strongly associated with the biochemical index.

In conclusion, GLP exposure induces hepatic injury through alterations in the gut microbiome and metabolic pathways, particularly by activating the pentose phosphate pathway and pyrimidine metabolism.