Abstract

Overview

The gut microbiota is crucial for host health and is influenced by various environmental factors, including the geomagnetic field (GMF), which is a significant condition for living organisms.

Findings

• Previous studies indicate that the removal of GMF—known as a hypomagnetic field (HMF)—impacts the physiological functions and antibiotic resistance of some microorganisms.
• This study explores how long-term (8- and 12-week) HMF exposure affects gut microbiota in C57BL/6J mice.
• Results show that an 8-week HMF notably alters the diversity and functionality of the mouse gut microbiota.
• Compared to the GMF group, the HMF group displayed a decrease in short-chain fatty acid concentrations.
• Immunofluorescence analysis reveals that HMF fosters colonic cell proliferation alongside an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels.

Conclusion

This is the first in vivo study showing long-term HMF exposure's effects on mouse gut microbiota, ROS levels, and colonic cell proliferation. Furthermore, reintroducing mice to the GMF environment can mitigate these changes in the gut microbiota, suggesting a potential to alleviate the harmful effects caused by HMF exposure.