Perfluorooctanoic acid exposure disrupts gut microbiota and aggravates experimental colitis.

Dietary PFOA exposure worsens colitis severity by increasing inflammation, epithelial damage, and microbiome disruption in a mouse model.

• Why it matters: Understanding how environmental pollutants like PFOA influence inflammatory bowel disease is crucial, as these compounds are widespread and linked to disease risk.
• What they did: Researchers used a dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis model in mice, exposing them to PFOA and analyzing effects on inflammation, epithelial integrity, and gut microbiota.
• The result: PFOA exposure intensified colitis symptoms, promoted neutrophil-driven inflammation, damaged the epithelial barrier, and altered gut microbiota, suggesting it may exacerbate IBD in humans.