Impact of Native Probiotics on Autophagy and Oxidative Stress in Nickel‐Exposed Mice: Insights Into the Gut–Brain Axis

TL;DR

Native probiotics may help reduce brain damage from nickel exposure by boosting autophagy and reducing oxidative stress through the gut-brain axis.

Contribution

Native probiotic strains are shown to modulate autophagy and reduce neuroinflammation in nickel-exposed mice.

Findings

Native probiotics significantly increased autophagy gene expression in nickel-exposed mice.

Probiotic treatment reduced neuroinflammation caused by nickel exposure.

Probiotics activated autophagy pathways to combat oxidative stress in brain tissues.

Abstract

The gut–brain axis plays a crucial role in mitigating the adverse effects of environmental agents such as nickel exposure. Nickel, recognized as a heavy metal, poses significant concerns for public health because of its impact on neurological disorders and oxidative stress; consequently, it is prioritized for evaluations of its effects on biological pathways. This study investigates the potential of native probiotic strains to modulate inflammatory and autophagy signaling pathways, which are vital for combating oxidative stress.

Twenty male NMRI mice were divided into 4 groups randomly and were gavaged with NiCl2, followed by administration of a probiotic cocktail that consisted of 4 native probiotic Lactobacillus spp. and Bifidobacterium spp. Brain tissues from these treated mice were collected to analyze the expression of autophagy‐related genes involved in phagophore, autophagosome, and autolysosome formation using quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR).

Our findings demonstrated that treatment with this cocktail of native probiotic Lactobacillus spp. and Bifidobacterium spp. significantly increased the expression of autophagy genes compared to the control group exposed to NiCl2 alone. Specifically, there was a notable upregulation in genes associated with autophagic processes, indicating that these probiotic strains effectively activated autophagy pathways in response to nickel‐induced oxidative stress.

The beneficial effects of our native probiotic strains were confirmed through enhanced expression of autophagy genes and reduced neuroinflammation, suggesting their potential as therapeutic agents in mitigating the adverse impacts of nickel exposure on brain health via modulation of the gut–brain axis.

The gut–brain axis plays a crucial role in mitigating the harmful effects of nickel exposure. Nickel, a heavy metal, induces oxidative stress, making it essential to utilize beneficial agents like probiotics. This study examines how native probiotics can influence autophagy and reduce oxidative stress caused by nickel via the gut–brain axis. Our findings indicate that these probiotics enhance autophagy gene expression, providing a potential therapeutic strategy against nickel‐induced brain damage.

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