Aflatoxin B1 disrupts the intestinal barrier integrity by reducing junction protein and promoting apoptosis in pigs and mice

With the growing diversity and complexity of diet, animals and humans are at risk of exposure to aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), which is a well-known contaminant in the food chain that causes various toxicological effects. The intestine acts as the first barrier against external contaminants, but the effect o...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Man Zhang, Qinghao Li, Jun Wang, Juan Sun, Yuqiang Xiang, Xin Jin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2022-12-01
Series:Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651322010909
_version_ 1811312287434145792
author Man Zhang
Qinghao Li
Jun Wang
Juan Sun
Yuqiang Xiang
Xin Jin
author_facet Man Zhang
Qinghao Li
Jun Wang
Juan Sun
Yuqiang Xiang
Xin Jin
author_sort Man Zhang
collection DOAJ
description With the growing diversity and complexity of diet, animals and humans are at risk of exposure to aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), which is a well-known contaminant in the food chain that causes various toxicological effects. The intestine acts as the first barrier against external contaminants, but the effect of AFB1 on intestinal barrier has not been determined. This study aimed to evaluate AFB1 on the intestinal barrier function in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, porcine jejunal epithelial cells (IPEC-J2) were treated with increasing concentrations of AFB1 (10–60 mg/L). In vivo, Kunming (KM) mice were used as controls or gavaged with 1% dimethyl sulfoxide (110 mg/kg b.w.) and AFB1 (0.3 mg/kg b.w.) for 28 days. In IPEC-J2 cells, the cell viability decreased with increasing mycotoxin concentrations, and the viability of IPEC-J2 cells decreased significantly (P < 0.05) when the AFB1 concentrations were greater than 30 mg/L. In addition, quantitative real-time PCR, Western blot analysis, and immunofluorescence results show that AFB1 can downregulate the tight junction proteins and increase the expression levels of Caspase-3 and the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2, suggesting that AFB1 was cytotoxic to IPEC-J2. In vivo, the ratio of villus height to crypt depth, the intestinal wall thickness, the number of intestinal villus per 1000 µm in the jejunum, the expression levels of ZO-1, Claudin-3, Occludin, MUC2, and Caspase-3, and the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 were significantly affected in mice exposed to AFB1. In vitro and in vivo results showed that the effects of exposure to AFB1 on the intestinal function in the jejunum of KM mice and in the IPEC-J2 was similar, suggesting that AFB1 may adversely affect animal intestine.
first_indexed 2024-04-13T10:34:34Z
format Article
id doaj.art-3ab766eb52d449a09bcff8cc29831a4c
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 0147-6513
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-13T10:34:34Z
publishDate 2022-12-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
spelling doaj.art-3ab766eb52d449a09bcff8cc29831a4c2022-12-22T02:50:05ZengElsevierEcotoxicology and Environmental Safety0147-65132022-12-01247114250Aflatoxin B1 disrupts the intestinal barrier integrity by reducing junction protein and promoting apoptosis in pigs and miceMan Zhang0Qinghao Li1Jun Wang2Juan Sun3Yuqiang Xiang4Xin Jin5College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan University of Animal Husbandry and Economy, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Henan University of Animal Husbandry and Economy, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan, China; Corresponding author.With the growing diversity and complexity of diet, animals and humans are at risk of exposure to aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), which is a well-known contaminant in the food chain that causes various toxicological effects. The intestine acts as the first barrier against external contaminants, but the effect of AFB1 on intestinal barrier has not been determined. This study aimed to evaluate AFB1 on the intestinal barrier function in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, porcine jejunal epithelial cells (IPEC-J2) were treated with increasing concentrations of AFB1 (10–60 mg/L). In vivo, Kunming (KM) mice were used as controls or gavaged with 1% dimethyl sulfoxide (110 mg/kg b.w.) and AFB1 (0.3 mg/kg b.w.) for 28 days. In IPEC-J2 cells, the cell viability decreased with increasing mycotoxin concentrations, and the viability of IPEC-J2 cells decreased significantly (P < 0.05) when the AFB1 concentrations were greater than 30 mg/L. In addition, quantitative real-time PCR, Western blot analysis, and immunofluorescence results show that AFB1 can downregulate the tight junction proteins and increase the expression levels of Caspase-3 and the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2, suggesting that AFB1 was cytotoxic to IPEC-J2. In vivo, the ratio of villus height to crypt depth, the intestinal wall thickness, the number of intestinal villus per 1000 µm in the jejunum, the expression levels of ZO-1, Claudin-3, Occludin, MUC2, and Caspase-3, and the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 were significantly affected in mice exposed to AFB1. In vitro and in vivo results showed that the effects of exposure to AFB1 on the intestinal function in the jejunum of KM mice and in the IPEC-J2 was similar, suggesting that AFB1 may adversely affect animal intestine.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651322010909Aflatoxin B1Junction proteinApoptosis
spellingShingle Man Zhang
Qinghao Li
Jun Wang
Juan Sun
Yuqiang Xiang
Xin Jin
Aflatoxin B1 disrupts the intestinal barrier integrity by reducing junction protein and promoting apoptosis in pigs and mice
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
Aflatoxin B1
Junction protein
Apoptosis
title Aflatoxin B1 disrupts the intestinal barrier integrity by reducing junction protein and promoting apoptosis in pigs and mice
title_full Aflatoxin B1 disrupts the intestinal barrier integrity by reducing junction protein and promoting apoptosis in pigs and mice
title_fullStr Aflatoxin B1 disrupts the intestinal barrier integrity by reducing junction protein and promoting apoptosis in pigs and mice
title_full_unstemmed Aflatoxin B1 disrupts the intestinal barrier integrity by reducing junction protein and promoting apoptosis in pigs and mice
title_short Aflatoxin B1 disrupts the intestinal barrier integrity by reducing junction protein and promoting apoptosis in pigs and mice
title_sort aflatoxin b1 disrupts the intestinal barrier integrity by reducing junction protein and promoting apoptosis in pigs and mice
topic Aflatoxin B1
Junction protein
Apoptosis
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651322010909
work_keys_str_mv AT manzhang aflatoxinb1disruptstheintestinalbarrierintegritybyreducingjunctionproteinandpromotingapoptosisinpigsandmice
AT qinghaoli aflatoxinb1disruptstheintestinalbarrierintegritybyreducingjunctionproteinandpromotingapoptosisinpigsandmice
AT junwang aflatoxinb1disruptstheintestinalbarrierintegritybyreducingjunctionproteinandpromotingapoptosisinpigsandmice
AT juansun aflatoxinb1disruptstheintestinalbarrierintegritybyreducingjunctionproteinandpromotingapoptosisinpigsandmice
AT yuqiangxiang aflatoxinb1disruptstheintestinalbarrierintegritybyreducingjunctionproteinandpromotingapoptosisinpigsandmice
AT xinjin aflatoxinb1disruptstheintestinalbarrierintegritybyreducingjunctionproteinandpromotingapoptosisinpigsandmice