Probiotics mitigate kidney damage after exposure to Sri Lanka's local groundwater from chronic kidney disease with uncertain etiology (CKDu) prevalent area in zebrafish

Groundwater in Sri Lanka, contaminated with environmental toxins, is suspected to potentially induce chronic kidney disease of uncertain etiology (CKDu) in humans. This study aims to elucidate the potential mitigating effects of probiotics on kidney damage induced by exposure to this local groundwater (LW) in zebrafish. We used zebrafish as a model organism and exposed them to local groundwater to evaluate the risk of CKDu. Probiotics were then added at a concentration of 108 colony-forming units per milliliter (CFU/mL). Our findings revealed that exposure to local groundwater resulted in abnormalities, such as tail deletion and spinal curvature in zebrafish larvae. However, the addition of probiotics mitigated these effects, improving the hatching rate, heart rate, length, weight, deformity rate, survival rate, and abnormal behavior of zebrafish. It also positively influ-enced the differential expression levels of kidney development and immunity-related genes (dync2h1, foxj1, pkd2, gata3, slc20a1, il1 beta, and lyso). Furthermore, exposure to LW decreased both the diversity and abundance of microbiota in zebrafish larvae. However, treatment with probiotics, such as L. plantarum and L. rhamnosus partially restored the disrupted gut microbiota and significantly impacted the cellular process pathways of the microbial community, as determined by KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) analysis. In conclusion, this study highlights the risks associated with Sri Lanka's local groundwater from a CKDu prevalent area and confirms the beneficial effects of different probiotics. These findings may provide new insights into bacterial function in host kidney health.

Automated summary

This study investigates the potential mitigating effects of probiotics on kidney damage induced by Sri Lanka's contaminated groundwater using zebrafish as a model organism. The results show that exposure to local groundwater caused abnormalities in zebrafish larvae, but the addition of probiotics improved various parameters and positively influenced the expression of kidney development and immunity-related genes. Furthermore, exposure to contaminated groundwater decreased the diversity and abundance of microbiota in zebrafish larvae, but probiotic treatment partially restored the disrupted gut microbiota and impacted the microbial community's cellular processes.