Intestinal toxicity of deoxynivalenol is limited by Lactobacillus rhamnosus RC007 in pig jejunum explants

International audienceProbiotics have been explored to stimulate gut health in weaned pigs, when they started to consume solid diet where mycotoxins could be present. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Lactobacillus rhamnosus RC007 on the intestinal toxicity of deoxynivalenol (DON) in an ex vivo model. Jejunal explants, obtained from 5 weeks old crossbred castrated male piglets, were kept as control, exposed for 3 hours to 10 μM DON, incubated for 4 hours with 10 9 CFU/mL L. rhamnosus, or pre-incubated 1 hour with 10 9 L. rhamnosus and exposed to DON. Histological lesions were observed, para-and trans-cellular intestinal permeability was measured in Ussing chambers. The expression levels of mRNA encoding 6 inflammatory cytokines (CCL20, IL-10, IL-1β, TNFα, IL-8 and IL-22) were determined by RT-PCR. The expressions of the phosphorylated MAP Kinases p42/p44 and p38 were assessed by immunoblotting. Exposure to DON induced histological changes, significantly increased the expression of CCL20, IL-1β, TNFα, IL-8, IL-22 and IL-10, increased the intestinal paracellular permeability and activated MAP Kinases. Incubation with L. rhamnosus alone did not have any significant effect. By contrast, the pre-incubation with L. rhamnosus reduced all the effects of DON: the histological alterations, the pro-inflammatory response, the paracellular permeability and the phosphorylation of MAP Kinases. Of note, L. rhamnosus did not adsorbe DON and only slightly degrade the toxin. In conclusion, L. rhamnosus RC007 is a promising probiotic which, included as feed additive, can decrease the intestinal toxicity of DON