Lead (Pb) removal and suppression of Pb-induced inflammation by Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus A6-6.

This article focuses on evaluating the lead (Pb) removal efficiency and immunoprotective effects of the probiotic strain Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus A6-6. The study found that L. rhamnosus A6-6 effectively adsorbs Pb primarily through peptidoglycan-mediated biosorption, fitting the Langmuir isotherm model, and achieves over 99% Pb removal under optimal conditions (pH 5–6, 35°C, 12 hours). In vitro experiments using RAW 264.7 macrophage-like cells demonstrated that this strain mitigates Pb-induced cytotoxicity, nitric oxide production, and pro-inflammatory cytokine expression (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6), suggesting its potential to reduce Pb-induced immunotoxicity. These findings indicate that L. rhamnosus A6-6 holds promise for applications in environmental bioremediation and as a probiotic intervention to protect against Pb toxicity, with further in vivo studies recommended to confirm its efficacy.