Pahs Affects Tooth Development Via The Regulation Of Phospholipid Metabolism

The process of tooth development is susceptible to interference from environmental stimulants, leading to disorders in the formation of dental hard tissues, resulting in phenotypes such as enamel hypoplasia, so the investigation of its underlying mechanism is crucial for achieving precise prevention of DDE. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Peking University Health Science Center. Six-week-old SD rats were used to establish the DDE model induced by PAHs exposure. Phenotypic analysis was conducted through dual-platform untargeted metabolomics sequencing, transcriptomics sequencing, hematological examination, and Micro CT. All data were evaluated statistically using Student’s t tests or one‐way ANOVA with the Tukey post hoc test (P<0.05). PAHs exposure affects the development and eruption of rat incisors and molars, which disrupting the enamel deposition and leading to the phenotype of DDE. The formation of DDE is accompanied by disordered lipid metabolism in liver and abnormal phospholipid metabolism in dental epithelial cells. Differential metabolites which enriched in the phospholipid metabolism pathway during the progression of DDE are correlated with transcriptional changes in genes related to enamel formation. This study established the rat model of DDE and confirmed the multifaceted impacts of PAHs exposure on tooth development and body metabolism, revealing the correlation between changes in phospholipid metabolism and transcriptional alterations of genes related to enamel formation. These findings suggested the potential preventive targets for DDE, providing further theoretical support for promoting oral health management in early childhood.