Deoxynivalenol exposure induces liver damage in mice: Inflammation and immune responses, oxidative stress, and protective effects of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG

Abstract

Deoxynivalenol (DON), one of the most common environmental pollutants, substantially affects human and animal health. Much attention has been paid to the ability of probiotics to modulate inflammation and immune responses. In this work, the toxic effects of DON on the liver and the protective effects of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) were investigated. We treated mice with oral gavage of DON (2.4 mg/kg bw/day), LGG (1 × 10⁹ CFU/mouse/day) or both for 28 days. The results showed that DON triggered liver inflammation, reflected by pathological changes and liver function damage but LGG oral administration significantly attenuated these changes. Notably, DON treatment activated the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway which contribute to produce inflammatory cytokines, but oral administration of LGG inhibited all the effects of DON. DON treatment can also induce oxidative stress and activate Keap1-Nrf2 signaling pathway, leading to the activation of Nrf2 and the downstream genes, while LGG treatment can improve the antioxidant capacity of liver and protected mice from DON injury. In conclusion, LGG was able to negate the detrimental effects of DON on the liver and may contribute as a potential dietary intervention strategy to reduce mycotoxicity.

Keywords: Inflammatory cytokines; Keap1-Nrf2; Mycotoxins; Probiotics; TLR4/NF-κB.