Abstract
Deoxynivalenol (DON) can activate related signaling pathways and induce gastrointestinal disorders. Based on the results of previous studies, this study tried to explore the relationship between DON-induced intestinal inflammation of weaned rabbits and the ERK-p38 signaling pathway. Forty-five weaned rabbits were divided into three treatments: control, LD and HD group. All rabbits were treated with diet containing a same nutrient content, but animals in the LD and HD groups were additionally administered DON via drinking water at 0.5 and 1.5 mg/kg b.w./d, respectively. The protocol consisted of a total feeding period of 31 days, including a pre-feeding period of 7 days. Western blotting, qRT-PCR, and immunohistochemistry were applied for analysis the expression of protein and mRNA of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), p38, double-stranded RNA-activated protein kinase (PKR), and hematopoietic cell kinase (Hck) in the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum of rabbits, as well as the distribution of positive reactants. The results proved that DON intake could enhance the levels of inflammatory factors in serum and damage the intestinal structure barrier of rabbits. Meanwhile, DON addition can stimulate the protein and mRNA expression for ERK, p38, PKR, and Hck in the intestine of rabbits, especially in the duodenum, as well as expand the distribution of positive reactants, in a dose-dependent manner.
Highlights
Contamination of agricultural products by natural mycotoxins has been a long-standing challenge for agriculture and food industries
This research aimed to analysis the variation tendency of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)-p38 signaling pathway and upstream signaling factors PKR and hematopoietic cell kinase (Hck) in the various intestine segments of weaned rabbits induce by DON
Photographs from immunohistochemical staining of various intestinal segments (Supplementary Figure 1) indicated that positivity for ERK1/2 were mainly distributed within villi in the control group, and a bit of positive material was detected in the lamina propria
Summary
Contamination of agricultural products by natural mycotoxins has been a long-standing challenge for agriculture and food industries. Deoxynivalenol (DON), which is produced by fungi, is classified as a type B trichothecene [1]. In view of its contamination rate and toxic effects, DON is considered to be one of the most common mycotoxins in grain products and feed ingredient worldwide [3, 4]. DON is chemically stable and has a variety of toxic effects, such as genotoxicity, cytotoxicity, reproductive toxicity, neurotoxicity, and immunotoxicity [5, 6]. It can seriously threaten human and animal health by contaminating food and feed
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