{"entity": "publication", "iuid": "532b42c661ad4f56b9a535dd0877a6cb", "timestamp": "2026-09-03T05:16:52.093Z", "links": {"self": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/publication/532b42c661ad4f56b9a535dd0877a6cb.json"}, "display": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/publication/532b42c661ad4f56b9a535dd0877a6cb"}}, "title": "Nontarget analysis reveals gut microbiome-dependent differences in the fecal PCB metabolite profiles of germ-free and conventional mice.", "authors": [{"family": "Li", "given": "Xueshu", "initials": "X"}, {"family": "Liu", "given": "Yanna", "initials": "Y"}, {"family": "Martin", "given": "Jonathan W", "initials": "JW"}, {"family": "Cui", "given": "Julia Yue", "initials": "JY"}, {"family": "Lehmler", "given": "Hans-Joachim", "initials": "HJ"}], "type": "journal article", "published": "2021-01-01", "journal": {"title": "Environ Pollut", "issn": "1873-6424", "volume": "268", "issue": "Pt A", "pages": "115726", "issn-l": null}, "abstract": "Mammalian polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) metabolism has not been systematically explored with nontarget high-resolution mass spectrometry (Nt-HRMS). Here we investigated the importance of the gut microbiome in PCB biotransformation by Nt-HRMS analysis of feces from conventional (CV) and germ-free (GF) adult female mice exposed to a single oral dose of an environmental PCB mixture (6 mg/kg or 30 mg/kg in corn oil). Feces were collected for 24 h after PCB administration, PCB metabolites were extracted from pooled samples, and the extracts were analyzed by Nt-HRMS. Twelve classes of PCB metabolites were detected in the feces from CV mice, including PCB sulfates, hydroxylated PCB sulfates (OH-PCB sulfates), PCB sulfonates, and hydroxylated methyl sulfone PCBs (OH-MeSO2-PCBs) reported previously. We also observed eight additional PCB metabolite classes that were tentatively identified as hydroxylated PCBs (OH-PCBs), dihydroxylated PCBs (DiOH-PCBs), monomethoxylated dihydroxylated PCBs (MeO-OH-PCBs), methoxylated PCB sulfates (MeO-PCB sulfates), mono-to tetra-hydroxylated PCB quinones ((OH)x-quinones, x = 1-4), and hydroxylated polychlorinated benzofurans (OH-PCDF). Most metabolite classes were also detected in the feces from GF mice, except for MeO-OH-PCBs, OH-MeSO2-PCBs, and OH-PCDFs. Semi-quantitative analyses demonstrate that relative PCB metabolite levels increased with increasing dose and were higher in CV than GF mice, except for PCB sulfates and MeO-PCB sulfates, which were higher in GF mice. These findings demonstrate that the gut microbiome plays a direct or indirect role in the absorption, distribution, metabolism, or excretion of PCB metabolites, which in turn may affect toxic outcomes following PCB exposure.", "doi": "10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115726", "pmid": "33032095", "labels": [], "xrefs": [{"db": "mid", "key": "NIHMS1632913"}, {"db": "pmc", "key": "PMC7746632"}, {"db": "pii", "key": "S0269-7491(20)36415-0"}], "notes": [], "created": "2026-08-20T07:55:14.615Z", "modified": "2026-08-20T07:55:14.690Z"}