Unique Gut Microbiome and Metabolic Profiles in Chinese Workers Exposed to Dust: Insights From a Case-Control Study.

Abstract

This study aimed to identify distinct gut microbiome and serum metabolic features in workers exposed to dust compared to healthy controls. A case-control study was conducted with dust-exposed workers without silicosis and age-matched healthy controls. Gut microbiome composition was analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing, and serum and fecal metabolomic profiles were assessed by LC-MS. Dust-exposed workers showed higher levels of Blautia and Trichoderma and lower levels of Anaplasma , Aspergillus , Plasmodiophoromycetes, and Escherichia coli-Shigella . Metabolites such as indole-3-acetate and gentamicin C1a were downregulated, while adenine, 2-phenylacetamide, and 4-pyridoxic acid were upregulated. Blautia spp. were linked to altered metabolites in dust-exposed workers, suggesting microbiome-metabolite interactions that may affect silicosis progression. However, the small sample size and cross-sectional design limit generalizability, and further longitudinal studies are needed.