Background Some studies have shown that PM_2.5 exposure is closely related to central nervous system diseases that lead to cognitive dysfunction and change the composition of intestinal flora. However, there are few studies on the role of intestinal flora in PM_2.5-induced depression- and anxiety-like behaviors in mice.

Objective To observe the effects of PM_2.5 exposure on depression- and anxiety-like behaviors and the composition of intestinal flora in mice, and to explore the role of intestinal flora in regulating 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) in depression- and anxiety-like behaviors in mice exposed to PM_2.5.

Methods Eight-week-old male SPF C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into control group (NS group), probiotic group (LGG group), PM_2.5 group (PM group), and combined exposure group (PML group), 6 mice in each group. Mice in the PM group and the PML group were exposed to PM_2.5 in a dynamic exposure cabinet for 6 h per day, 6 d a week for 7 consecutive weeks, and the PM_2.5 concentrations were approximately 8 times higher than the outdoor concentration. The LGG group and the PML group were orally administered with Lactobacillus rhamnosus while the NS group and the PM group were orally administered with the same amount of saline. Elevated plus maze test and open field test were used to detect depression and anxiety in mice. Fecal samples of mice were collected to evaluate intestinal flora abundance, diversity, and structure between groups using high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA. ELISA was employed to detect the levels of 5-HT in serum and hippocampus. Spearman correlation was used to analyze the correlations of differential intestinal flora with 5-HT level in hippocampus and depression- and anxiety-like behavior indicators in mice.

Results The percentage of open-arm entry M(P₂₅, P₇₅) in the PM group was 0.0% (0.0%, 33.3%), lower than those in the NS group 47.7% (25.0%, 50.8%) and the PML group 46.9% (40.0%, 50.0%), and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). The total travelled distance and the time spent in central area (\bar x \pm s ) in the PM group were (2.01±0.90) m and (10.31±1.99) s respectively, shorter than those of the NS group (3.80±0.89) m, (14.47±3.07) s, the total travelled distance in the PML group (2.73±1.12) m was shorter than those of the NS group and the LGG group (4.21±1.08) m, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). Compared to the NS group, the Simpson index of the PM group significantly increased (P<0.05). Compared to the LGG group, the Simpson index of the PML group significantly decreased (P<0.05). The results of Beta diversity analysis showed that there were differences in the composition of intestinal flora among the four groups of mice. Compared with the NS group and the LGG group, the abundances of Erysipelotrichaceae and Dubosiella in the PM group and the PML group increased, while the abundances of Prevotellaceae_UCG-001 decreased, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). In hippocampus, the level of 5-HT in the PM group (135.02±10.31) μg·g⁻¹ was lower than those in the NS group (178.77±43.15) μg·g⁻¹ and the LGG group (224.85±22.98) μg·g⁻¹, and the level of 5-HT in the PML group (161.27±15.81) μg·g⁻¹ was lower than that in the LGG group (P<0.05). 5-HT level in hippocampus was significantly positively correlated with the relative abundance of Prevotellaceae_UCG-001 (r=0.6090, P=0.012). The percentage of open-arm entry was significantly negatively correlated with the relative abundance of Dubosiella (r=−0.4630, P=0.023).

Conclusion Atmospheric PM_2.5 exposure may cause depression- and anxiety-like behaviors in mice. The observed behavior dysfunction may be associated with the changes in diversity and relative abundance of intestinal flora as well as the decrease of 5-HT level. Such depression- and anxiety-like behaviors are alleviated after adding probiotics.