Impact of mycotoxin on immune response and consequences for pig health

Abstract

Mycotoxins are fungal secondary metabolites detected in many agricultural commodities, especially cereals. Due to their high consumption of cereals, pigs are exposed to these toxins. In the European Union, regulations and/or recommendations exist in pig feed for aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, fumonisins, zearalenone, and trichothecenes, deoxynivalenol and T-2 toxin. These mycotoxins have different toxic effects, but they all target the immune system. They have immunostimulatory or immunosuppressive effects depending on the toxin, the concentration and the parameter investigated. The immune system is primarily responsible for defense against invading organisms. The consequences of the ingestion of mycotoxin-contaminated feed are an increased susceptibility to infectious diseases, a reactivation of chronic infection and a decreased vaccine efficacy. In this review we summarized the data available on the effect of mycotoxins on the immune system and the consequences for pig health.

Mycotoxin Biomarkers of Exposure: A Comprehensive Review

“…Mycotoxin intake may lead to immune illnesses (Pierron, Alassane‐Kpembi, & Oswald, ), metabolic and biochemical deficiencies, allergic manifestations (Norbäck et al., ; Schütze, Lehmann, Bönisch, Simon, & Polte, ), reduction of reproductive efficiency, and may also lead to teratogenicity, carcinogenicity, mutagenicity, and death (Hussein & Brasel, ). Moreover, the teratotoxic aflatoxins cross the placental barrier, consequently producing fetal alterations (Abdulrazzaq, Osman, & Ibrahim, ).…”

EPA and DHA attenuate deoxynivalenol‐induced intestinal porcine epithelial cell injury and protect barrier function integrity by inhibiting necroptosis signaling pathway

“…However, many factors such as stress, infection, and toxins, can lead to gut damage and barrier dysfunction, which can escalate to intestinal diseases such as inflammatory bowel diseases and necrotizing enterocolitis . Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a mycotoxin that commonly contaminates food or feed . Ingestion of DON‐contaminated food or feed leads to altered intestinal structure, compromised intestinal epithelial barrier function, and lower nutrient absorption, which can lead to severe bowel disease .…”

Immunotoxicity of aflatoxin M1: as a potent suppressor of innate and acquired immune systems in a subacute study

“…13,14 Aflatoxins can impair both innate and acquired immune responses, which results in decreased resistance to infections that might make individuals more susceptible to secondary infections. 15,16 Several studies have demonstrated that AFB 1 suppressed cell-mediated responses by affecting the functions of T or B lymphocytes and inhibiting their proliferation. AFB 1 also inhibited functions of natural killer cells numbers of macrophages and their functions such as phagocytic activity were suppressed.…”