mtROS-mediated mitophagy is involved in aflatoxin-B₁ induced liver injury in ducks

Aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) is highly toxic to the liver and can cause excessive production of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) in hepatocytes, leading to oxidative stress, inflammation, fibrosis, cirrhosis, and even liver cancer. The overproduction of mtROS can induce mitophagy, but whether mtROS and mitophagy are involved in the liver injury induced by AFB₁ in ducks remains unclear. In this study, we first demonstrated that overproduction of mtROS and mitophagy occurred during liver injury induced by AFB₁ exposure in ducks. Then, by inhibiting mtROS and mitophagy, we found that the damage caused by AFB₁ in ducks was significantly alleviated, and the overproduction of mtROS induced by AFB₁ exposure could mediate the occurrence of mitophagy. These results suggested that mtROS-mediated mitophagy is involved in AFB₁-induced duck liver injury, and they may be the prevention and treatment targets of AFB₁ hepatotoxicity.