Exopolysaccharide produced by Enterobacter sp. YG4 reduces uranium induced nephrotoxicity

Uranium nephrotoxicity is a health concern with very few treatment options. Bacterial exopolysaccharides (EPS) possess multiple biological activities and appear as prospective candidates for treating uranium nephrotoxicity. This study focuses on the ability of an EPS produced by a bacterial strain Enterobacter sp. YG4 to reduce uranium nephrotoxicity in vivo. This bacterium was isolated from the gut contents of a slug Laevicaulis alte (Férussac). Based on the aniline blue staining reaction and infrared spectral analysis, the EPS was identified as β-glucan and its molecular weight was 11.99 × 106 Da. The EPS showed hydroxyl radical scavenging ability and total antioxidant capacity in vitro. To assess the protection provided by the EPS against uranium nephrotoxicity, a single dose of 2 mg/kg uranyl nitrate was injected intraperitoneally to albino Wistar rats. As intervention, the EPS was administered orally (100 mg/kg/day) for 4 consecutive days. The rats were sacrificed on the fifth day and analyses were conducted. Increased serum creatinine and urea nitrogen levels and histopathological alterations in kidneys were observed in uranyl nitrate treated animals. All these alterations were reduced with the administration of Enterobacter sp. YG4 EPS, emphasizing a novel approach in treating uranium nephrotoxicity.