Next-generation effects of fetal and lactational exposure to the neonicotinoid pesticide clothianidin on the immune system and gut microbiota

• Published in: Journal of Veterinary Medical Science Vol. 85; no. 4; pp. 434 - 442
• Main Authors: MURATA, Midori, SHODA, Asuka, KIMURA, Mako, HARA, Yukako, YONOICHI, Sakura, ISHIDA, Yuya, MANTANI, Youhei, YOKOYAMA, Toshifumi, MATSUO, Eiko, HIRANO, Tetsushi, HOSHI, Nobuhiko
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan JAPANESE SOCIETY OF VETERINARY SCIENCE 2023; Japan Science and Technology Agency; The Japanese Society of Veterinary Science
• Subjects: Animals; clothianidin; Cohort Effect; Corpuscles; dysbiosis; Female; fetal and lactational exposure; Fetuses; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Hassall’s corpuscles; Immune system; Intestinal microflora; Macrophages; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Microbiota; Neonicotinoids - toxicity; Pesticides; Pregnancy; Thymus; Thymus Gland; Toxicology; Weaning; Hassall’s corpuscles; fetal and lactational exposure; thymus; clothianidin; dysbiosis
• ISSN: 0916-7250; 1347-7439
• DOI: 10.1292/jvms.23-0038

Recently, the effects of exposure to clothianidin (CLO) on the thymus and gut microbiota have become clear, but no report has examined its next-generation impacts. Pregnant C57BL/6N mice were administered a no-observed-adverse-effect-level dose of CLO until weaning. We examined CLO’s effects on the gut microbiota and immune organs of dams and their 3- and 10-week-old male offspring. CLO administration led to several alterations of the top 30 bacterial genera in the gut microbiota in dams and 3-week-old mice. Compared to controls, 10-week-old mice had more thymic Hassall’s corpuscles, and both dams and 10-week-old mice had fewer macrophages. These results suggest that fetal and lactational CLO exposure may affect the immune system and gut microbiota of the next generation.