Impacts of the feed contaminant deoxynivalenol on the intestine of monogastric animals: poultry and swine

Abstract

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is one of the most prevalent cereal contaminants with major public health concerns owing to its high toxigenic potentials. Once ingested, DON first and foremost targets epithelial cells of the gastrointestinal tract, whose proper functioning, as the first line of defence, is of paramount importance for the host's health. Emerging evidences, summarized in this article, suggest that DON produces its toxicity primarily via activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) signalling pathway and alteration in the expression of genes responsible for key physiological and immunological functions of the intestinal tissue of chickens and pigs. The activation of MAPKs signalling cascade results in disruption of the gut barrier function and an increase in the permeability by reducing expression of the tight junction proteins. Exposure to DON also down-regulates the expression of multiple transporter systems in the enterocytes with subsequent impairment of the absorption of key nutrients. Other major intestinal cytotoxic effects of DON described herein are modulation of mucosal immune responses, leading to immunosupression or stimulation of local immune cells and cytokine release, and also facilitation of the persistence of intestinal pathogens in the gut. Both of the last events potentiate enteric infections and local inflammation in pigs and poultry, rendering enterocytes and the host more vulnerable to luminal toxic compounds. This review highlights the cytotoxic risks associated with the intake of even low levels of DON and also identifies gaps of knowledge that need to be addressed by future research.

Intestinal toxicity of the masked mycotoxin deoxynivalenol-3-β-d-glucoside

“…This toxin alters the intestinal histomorphology, barrier function and nutrient absorption (Ghareeb et al 2015;Maresca 2013;Pinton et al 2012). DON alters the integrity of the intestine, resulting in a loss of mucosal integrity and a translocation of commensal and pathogenic bacteria across the epithelium (Maresca 2013;Pinton and Oswald 2014).…”

Impact of two mycotoxins deoxynivalenol and fumonisin on pig intestinal health

“…It also constitutes the largest and most important barrier to prevent the passage of harmful intraluminal substances from the external environment into the organism, including foreign antigens, microorganisms, and their toxins [47, 48]. Following the ingestion of mycotoxin-contaminated feed, intestinal epithelial cells may be exposed to high concentrations of toxins, potentially affecting intestinal functions [49–51]. …”

“…Several studies have investigated the effect of DON on the transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER), a good indicator of the integrity of the barrier function. DON decreases TEER in pig intestinal epithelial cells in a time and dose dependant manner [9, 51, 60, 64]. In piglets jejunal explants the paracellular passage, assessed in Ussing chambers, was significantly increased in presence of 20 to 50 μM of DON [65].…”

Hydrolytic Fate of 3/15-Acetyldeoxynivalenol in Humans: Specific Deacetylation by the Small Intestine and Liver Revealed Using in Vitro and ex Vivo Approaches

“…This binding causes a ribotoxic effect characterized by the activation of various protein kinases, the modulation of gene expression, leading eventually to alteration of cell functions and cell toxicity [8,9,10]. Thus, exposure to DON is associated to alterations of the intestinal, immune, and brain cell functions in animals and humans [8,10,11,12,13,14,15,16]. …”