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Bastos-Amador P, Duarte EL, Torres J, Caldeira AT, Silva I, Salvador C, Assunção R, Alvito P, Ferreira M. Maternal dietary exposure to mycotoxin aflatoxin B 1 promotes intestinal immune alterations and microbiota modifications increasing infection susceptibility in mouse offspring. Food Chem Toxicol 2023; 173:113596. [PMID: 36603704 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2022.113596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by fungi occurring in food that are toxic to animals and humans. Early-life mycotoxins exposure has been linked to diverse pathologies. However, how maternal exposure to mycotoxins impacts on the intestinal barrier function of progeny has not been explored. Here, exposure of pregnant and lactating C57Bl/6J female mice to aflatoxin B1 (AFB1; 400 μg/kg body weight/day; 3 times a week) in gelatine pellets, from embryonic day (E)11.5 until weaning (postnatal day 21), led to gut immunological changes in progeny. The results showed an overall increase of lymphocyte number in intestine, a reduction of expression of epithelial genes related to microbial defence, as well as a decrease in cytokine production by intestinal type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2). While susceptibility to chemically induced colitis was not worsened, immune alterations were associated with changes in gut microbiota and with a higher vulnerability to infection by the protozoan Eimeria vermiformis at early-life. Together these results show that maternal dietary exposure to AFB1 can dampen intestinal barrier homeostasis in offspring decreasing their capability to tackle intestinal pathogens. These data provide insights to understand AFB1 potential harmfulness in early-life health in the context of intestinal infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Bastos-Amador
- Food and Nutrition Department, National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge, 1649-016, Lisbon, Portugal; Champalimaud Foundation, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, 1400-038, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Elsa Leclerc Duarte
- University of Évora, School of Science and Technology, 7000-671, Évora, Portugal; MED-Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, 7006-554, Évora, Portugal
| | - Júlio Torres
- University of Coimbra, Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal
| | | | - Inês Silva
- University of Évora, School of Science and Technology, 7000-671, Évora, Portugal; MED-Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, 7006-554, Évora, Portugal; HERCULES Laboratory, Universidade de Évora, 7000-809, Évora, Portugal
| | - Cátia Salvador
- HERCULES Laboratory, Universidade de Évora, 7000-809, Évora, Portugal
| | - Ricardo Assunção
- IUEM, Instituto Universitário Egas Moniz, Egas Moniz-Cooperativa de Ensino Superior, CRL, 2829 - 511, Caparica, Portugal; University of Aveiro, CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Paula Alvito
- Food and Nutrition Department, National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge, 1649-016, Lisbon, Portugal; University of Aveiro, CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Manuela Ferreira
- Champalimaud Foundation, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, 1400-038, Lisbon, Portugal; University of Coimbra, Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal.
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