Effect of Sulfur Dioxide Inhalation on Lung Microbiota in Rat Model

Purpose: To investigate the effect of sulfur dioxide on the lung microbiota of healthy rats. Methods Fifteen male rats were randomly divided into high dose and low dose exposure group and control group. After 7 days of SO2 exposure, the lung tissues were obtained and the lung microbiota was identified by Illumina high-throughput sequencing. Results The microbial community of lung microbiota was significantly alternated in the exposure group and the dominant phylum changed from Firmicutes to Proteobacteria. In addition, the SO2 exposure caused the bronchial wall thickening and a large number of inflammatory cell infiltration in the lungs of rats in exposure groups. Conclusions The results suggest that SO2 can significantly alter the lung microbiota and pathological structure of the lungs