In Vitro Detoxification of Fumonisin B1 (FB1) into Hydrolyzed Fumonisin B1 (HFB1) by Lactobacillus spp. Isolated from Pig Caecum

TL;DR

This study shows that Lactobacillus bacteria from pig intestines can detoxify a harmful mycotoxin in the lab, suggesting they could be used as probiotics to improve pig health.

Contribution

The study identifies specific Lactobacillus species from pig caecum that detoxify fumonisin B1 in vitro, supporting host-targeted probiotic development.

Findings

Lactobacillus spp. significantly increased in abundance when exposed to fumonisin B1.

Fumonisin B1 levels decreased while hydrolyzed fumonisin B1 increased in the experimental group.

Lactobacillus pontis, Lactobacillus amylovorus, and Lactobacillus ultunensis showed potential as detoxifying probiotics.

Abstract

The metabolic capacity of swine caecum-derived Lactobacillus spp. to biotransform mycotoxins presents promising potential as a host-probiotic strategy to improve pig health and support host-targeted probiotic research. In the present study, Lactobacillus spp. isolated from the pig caecum were examined for their ability to detoxify fumonisin B1 (FB1) in vitro. Three experimental groups were established (i) Control 1 (C1: buffer + caecal chyme), (ii) Control 2 (C2: buffer + FB1), (iii) Experimental group (E: buffer + caecal chyme + FB1), each with 12 replicates per group (4 replicates per time point 0, 24, and 48 h). Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to determine bacterial abundance, while fumonisin B1 (FB1) and its hydrolyzed product (HFB1, Hydrolyzed Fumonisin B1), were quantified using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Group E showed a significant increase in Lactobacillus spp. abundance (p < 0.001), indicating a selective microbial response to FB1 exposure. In contrast, total bacterial counts did not differ significantly between C1 and E (p = 0.35), suggesting that the proliferation of Lactobacillus was the main microbiological outcome supporting the host–probiotic hypothesis. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed distinct microbial clustering, explaining 97.3% of the variance. Compared to C2, FB1 levels in group E were significantly reduced at 24 and 48 h, while HFB1 conversion rates increased from 47.1% to 56.5%. The study identified Lactobacillus pontis, Lactobacillus amylovorus, and Lactobacillus ultunensis as promising host-associated probiotics, with potential application as feed additives to mitigate mycotoxin effects in pigs. These findings warrant further in vivo validation.

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