Hexafluoropropylene oxide trimer acid (HFPO-TA) has been used as an alternative of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in the fluoropolymer industry for several years. HFPO-TA is reported to have high capability of bioaccumulation, widespread environmental distribution, and multiple toxicities. However, its potential toxicity on the intestines and gut microbiota remains unknown. In the present study, male mice were orally exposed to 200 μg/L HFPO-TA for 6 weeks, and after total genomic DNA extraction, 16S rRNA amplicon pyrosequencing was performed. Our results demonstrated that HFPO-TA exposure resulted in the imbalance of cecal microbiota and alterations of cecal microbiota diversity. At the phylum level, the relative abundances of Proteobacteria, Deferribacteres, and Tenericutes increased in mice after exposure to HFPO-TA, while the relative abundances of Verrucomicrobia, Cyanobacteria, and TM7 decreased. At the genus level, the relative abundances of Ver Akkermansia, Pre Prevotella, Lac Coprococcus, Por_Parabacteroides, and Lac Dorea decreased in HFPO-TA exposed mice. Meanwhile, the increased relative abundances of Def_Mucispirillum, Des_Desulfovibrio and Odo Odoribacter were observed in HFPO-TA exposed mice. Additionally, KEGG metabolic pathway analysis revealed that HFPO-TA exposure changed the unsaturated fatty acid synthesis, fatty acid metabolism, glyoxylic acid and dicarboxylic acid metabolism, galactose metabolism pathway and other metabolic pathways. Collectively, all these findings indicate the potential gut toxicity of HFPO-TA and is perceived as a risk of health on gut microbiota. Future investigations should be warranted.

多年来，六氟环氧丙烷三聚酸 (HFPO-TA) 已在氟聚合物行业用作全氟辛酸 (PFOA) 的替代品。据报道，HFPO-TA 具有很高的生物累积能力、广泛的环境分布和多种毒性。然而，它对肠道和肠道微生物群的潜在毒性仍然未知。在本研究中，雄性小鼠口服 200 μg/L HFPO-TA 6 周，提取总基因组 DNA 后，进行 16S rRNA 扩增子焦磷酸测序。我们的结果表明，HFPO-TA 暴露导致盲肠微生物群失衡和盲肠微生物群多样性的改变。在门水平上，变形杆菌、去铁杆菌和暴露于 HFPO-TA 后小鼠的Tenericutes增加，而Verrucomicrobia、Cyanobacteria和TM7的相对丰度下降。在属水平上，暴露于 HFPO-TA 的小鼠中Ver Akkermansia、Pre Prevotella 、Lac Coprococcus、Por_Parabacteroides和Lac Dorea 的相对丰度降低。同时， Def_Mucispirillum、Des_Desulfovibrio和Odo Odoribacter的相对丰度增加。在暴露于 HFPO-TA 的小鼠中观察到。此外，KEGG代谢途径分析显示，HFPO-TA暴露改变了不饱和脂肪酸合成、脂肪酸代谢、乙醛酸和二羧酸代谢、半乳糖代谢途径等代谢途径。总的来说，所有这些发现表明 HFPO-TA 的潜在肠道毒性，并被认为是对肠道微生物群的健康风险。应该保证未来的调查。