Abstract
Mycotoxins are structurally diverse fungal metabolites that can contaminate a variety of dietary components consumed by animals and humans. It is considered that 25% of the world crop production is contaminated by mycotoxins. The clinical toxicological syndromes caused by ingestion of moderate to high amounts of mycotoxins and their effect on the immune system have been well characterized. However, no particular attention has been focused on the effects of mycotoxins on the local intestinal immune response. Because of their location, intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) could be exposed to high doses of mycotoxins. As a component of the innate local immune response, intestinal epithelial cells have developed a variety of mechanisms which act to reduce the risk of infection by microorganisms or intoxication by toxic compounds. This review summarises the innate immune response developed by intestinal epithelial cells and reports the literature concerning the effects of mycotoxins on them. Particularly, the effects of mycotoxins on the maintenance of a physical barrier by epithelial cells will be discussed together with their effect on extrinsic protective components of the innate intestinal immunity: mucus secretion, antimicrobial peptide generation, IgA and pro-inflammatory cytokine release.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
