Protective effect of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CCFM8661 against heavy metal mixture-induced liver and kidney injury in mice

Human health and the ecological balance are both gravely threatened by heavy metal pollution brought on by global industrialization. Probiotics are thought to represent a novel class of medicinal products for reducing heavy metal toxicity. Though simultaneous poisoning of numerous heavy metals is more prevalent, the majority of current studies on probiotics in the treatment of heavy metal poisoning concentrate on a single heavy metal. Thus, a mouse damage model was created in this investigation using five heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Hg, Cr, and As), and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CCFM8661 was utilized as an intervention therapy. The oxidative stress markers, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), and malondialdehyde (MDA), were evaluated in the blood, liver, and kidney tissues of mice throughout the experiment by tracking changes in body weight. Additionally, the amounts of five heavy metals were measured in the liver and kidney tissues. The alleviation of tissue damage and the detoxifying activity of L. plantarum CCFM8661 in mice with combined heavy metal intoxication were assessed by histopathological examination of liver and kidney tissues. Results revealed that during the test period, L. plantarum CCFM8661 significantly reduced the content of MDA and the contents of Pb, Cd, Hg, Cr, and As in liver and kidney tissues, while also significantly increasing weight gain and the activities of SOD, CAT, and T-AOC in mouse blood, liver, and kidney tissues compared to the model group. Mouse liver and kidney tissue damage from combined heavy metal exposure was considerably lessened by L. plantarum CCFM8661 when compared to the model group, according to H&E staining. This study demonstrates that L. plantarum CCFM8661 may be utilized as a useful intervention for the treatment of combined heavy metal poisoning by efficiently reducing the harm that heavy metals do to the body and maintaining bodily health.