Fig. 1
From: Chronic exposure to ambient particulate matter induces gut microbial dysbiosis in a rat COPD model
Schematic overview of the study workflow. a A total of 54 rats were randomly divided into three groups (control [CON], biomass fuel [BMF], and motor vehicle exhaust [MVE]; n = 6 per group) and exposed for 4, 12, or 24 weeks. Lung tissue was assessed histologically and gut microbial composition was assessed by 16S rRNA pyrosequencing. Serum lipopolysaccharide (LPS) levels were measured and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in colon contents were quantified. b Particulate matter (PM) concentrations and particle size distributions during exposure. Rats exposed to biomass fuel (BMF) inhaled higher concentrations of PM with a diameter ≤ 10, 2.5, and 1 μm (PM10, PM2.5, and PM1) than rats exposed to motor vehicle exhaust (MVE). Boxes and the inside line represent the mean ± SD for PM2.5