Abstract：
BACKGROUND: PM2.5 and its chemical components increase health risks and are associated with depression and gut microbiota. However, there is still limited evidence on whether gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) mediate the association between PM2.5, PM2.5 chemical components, and antenatal depression. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mediating role of maternal gut microbiota in correlations between short-term exposure to PM2.5, short-term exposure to PM2.5 chemical components, and antenatal depression.
METHODS: Demographic information and stool samples were collected from 75 pregnant women in their third trimester. Their exposure to PM2.5 and PM2.5 chemical components was measured. Participants were divided into the non-antenatal depression group or the antenatal depression group according to the cut-off of 10 points on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). The gut microbiota were analyzed using the 16 S rRNA-V3/V4 gene sequence, and the concentration of PM2.5 and its chemical components was calculated using the Tracking Air Pollution in China (TAP) database. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to analyze SCFAs in stool samples. In order to assess the mediating effects of gut microbiota and SCFAs, mediation models were utilized.
RESULTS: There were significant differences between gut microbial composition and SCFAs concentrations between the non-antenatal depression group and the antenatal depression group. PM2.5 and its chemical components were positively associated with EPDS scores and negatively associated with genera Enterococcus and Enterobacter. Genera Candidatus_Soleaferrea (β = -7.21, 95%CI -11.00 to -3.43, q = 0.01) and Enterococcus (β = -2.37, 95%CI -3.87 to -0.87, q = 0.02) were negatively associated with EPDS scores, indicating their potential protective effects against antenatal depression. There was no significant association between SCFAs and EPDS scores. The mediating role of Enterococcus between different lagged periods of PM2.5, PM2.5 chemical component exposure, and antenatal depression was revealed. For instance, Enterococcus explained 29.23% (95%CI 2.16-87.13%, p = 0.04) of associations between PM2.5 exposure level at the day of sampling (lag 0) and EPDS scores.
CONCLUSIONS: Our study highlights that Enterococcus may mediate the associations between PM2.5, PM2.5 chemical components, and antenatal depression. The mediating mechanism through which the gut microbiota influences PM2.5-induced depression in pregnant women still needs to be further studied.
METHODS: Demographic information and stool samples were collected from 75 pregnant women in their third trimester. Their exposure to PM2.5 and PM2.5 chemical components was measured. Participants were divided into the non-antenatal depression group or the antenatal depression group according to the cut-off of 10 points on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). The gut microbiota were analyzed using the 16 S rRNA-V3/V4 gene sequence, and the concentration of PM2.5 and its chemical components was calculated using the Tracking Air Pollution in China (TAP) database. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to analyze SCFAs in stool samples. In order to assess the mediating effects of gut microbiota and SCFAs, mediation models were utilized.
RESULTS: There were significant differences between gut microbial composition and SCFAs concentrations between the non-antenatal depression group and the antenatal depression group. PM2.5 and its chemical components were positively associated with EPDS scores and negatively associated with genera Enterococcus and Enterobacter. Genera Candidatus_Soleaferrea (β = -7.21, 95%CI -11.00 to -3.43, q = 0.01) and Enterococcus (β = -2.37, 95%CI -3.87 to -0.87, q = 0.02) were negatively associated with EPDS scores, indicating their potential protective effects against antenatal depression. There was no significant association between SCFAs and EPDS scores. The mediating role of Enterococcus between different lagged periods of PM2.5, PM2.5 chemical component exposure, and antenatal depression was revealed. For instance, Enterococcus explained 29.23% (95%CI 2.16-87.13%, p = 0.04) of associations between PM2.5 exposure level at the day of sampling (lag 0) and EPDS scores.
CONCLUSIONS: Our study highlights that Enterococcus may mediate the associations between PM2.5, PM2.5 chemical components, and antenatal depression. The mediating mechanism through which the gut microbiota influences PM2.5-induced depression in pregnant women still needs to be further studied.
摘要：
背景：PM2.5及其化学成分会增加健康风险，并与抑郁症和肠道菌群相关。然而,关于肠道菌群和短链脂肪酸（SCFA）是否介导PM2.5，PM2.5化学成分之间的关联的证据仍然有限，产前抑郁症。本研究的目的是探讨母体肠道菌群在短期PM2.5暴露、短期PM2.5化学成分暴露、产前抑郁症。
方法：收集75名妊娠晚期孕妇的人口统计学信息和粪便样本。测量了他们对PM2.5和PM2.5化学成分的暴露。根据爱丁堡产后抑郁量表（EPDS）10分的临界值，将参与者分为非产前抑郁组和产前抑郁组。使用16SrRNA-V3/V4基因序列分析肠道菌群，并使用中国追踪空气污染（TAP）数据库计算了PM2.5及其化学成分的浓度。使用气相色谱-质谱法分析粪便样品中的SCFA。为了评估肠道菌群和SCFA的中介作用，利用了调解模型。
结果：非产前抑郁组和产前抑郁组的肠道微生物组成和SCFAs浓度存在显著差异。PM2.5及其化学成分与EPDS评分呈正相关,与肠球菌属和肠杆菌属呈负相关。念珠菌属(β=-7.21,95CI-11.00~-3.43,q=0.01)和肠球菌属(β=-2.37,95CI-3.87~-0.87,q=0.02)与EPDS评分呈负相关,表明它们对产前抑郁症的潜在保护作用。SCFA和EPDS评分之间没有显著关联。肠球菌在PM2.5不同滞后期、PM2.5化学成分暴露、发现了产前抑郁症。例如,肠球菌解释29.23%（95CI2.16-87.13%，p=0.04）采样当天的PM2.5暴露水平（滞后0）与EPDS评分之间的关联。
结论：我们的研究强调，肠球菌可能介导PM2.5，PM2.5化学成分之间的关联，产前抑郁症。肠道菌群对PM2.5诱导的孕妇抑郁的影响机制仍需进一步研究。
方法：收集75名妊娠晚期孕妇的人口统计学信息和粪便样本。测量了他们对PM2.5和PM2.5化学成分的暴露。根据爱丁堡产后抑郁量表（EPDS）10分的临界值，将参与者分为非产前抑郁组和产前抑郁组。使用16SrRNA-V3/V4基因序列分析肠道菌群，并使用中国追踪空气污染（TAP）数据库计算了PM2.5及其化学成分的浓度。使用气相色谱-质谱法分析粪便样品中的SCFA。为了评估肠道菌群和SCFA的中介作用，利用了调解模型。
结果：非产前抑郁组和产前抑郁组的肠道微生物组成和SCFAs浓度存在显著差异。PM2.5及其化学成分与EPDS评分呈正相关,与肠球菌属和肠杆菌属呈负相关。念珠菌属(β=-7.21,95CI-11.00~-3.43,q=0.01)和肠球菌属(β=-2.37,95CI-3.87~-0.87,q=0.02)与EPDS评分呈负相关,表明它们对产前抑郁症的潜在保护作用。SCFA和EPDS评分之间没有显著关联。肠球菌在PM2.5不同滞后期、PM2.5化学成分暴露、发现了产前抑郁症。例如,肠球菌解释29.23%（95CI2.16-87.13%，p=0.04）采样当天的PM2.5暴露水平（滞后0）与EPDS评分之间的关联。
结论：我们的研究强调，肠球菌可能介导PM2.5，PM2.5化学成分之间的关联，产前抑郁症。肠道菌群对PM2.5诱导的孕妇抑郁的影响机制仍需进一步研究。
