Targeting Mycotoxin Toxicity: From Molecular Mechanisms to Nutritional Interventions.
Shirui Huang1, Yiqin Gao1, Thobela Louis Tyasi2
1Laboratory of Animal Physiology and Molecular Nutrition, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Animal Genetic Breeding and Molecular Design, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China.
Veterinary Sciences
|May 26, 2026
Summary
Mycotoxins threaten food safety and health by causing oxidative stress and inflammation. Dietary antioxidants and bioactive compounds can mitigate these effects, improving resilience to mycotoxin toxicity.
Area of Science:
- Food Safety and Toxicology
- Cellular Biology
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Mycotoxins pose significant risks to food/feed safety and health, disrupting cellular homeostasis and inducing oxidative damage.
- Key cellular processes affected include oxidative stress, apoptosis, autophagy, inflammation, and dysbiosis.
- Nutritional factors can modulate the body's response to mycotoxin exposure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the mechanisms by which mycotoxins induce cellular damage, focusing on oxidative stress, apoptosis, and inflammation.
- To explore the potential of nutritional interventions in mitigating mycotoxin-induced toxicity.
- To highlight the role of advanced omics technologies in understanding these pathways.
Main Methods:
- Review of scientific literature on mycotoxin mechanisms and nutritional interventions.
- Analysis of how specific mycotoxins (aflatoxin B1, deoxynivalenol, ochratoxin A) induce reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated damage.
- Examination of the impact of mycotoxins on cellular processes like apoptosis and autophagy.
- Investigation of the role of nutritional factors like antioxidants, anti-inflammatory compounds, probiotics, and prebiotics.
Main Results:
- Mycotoxins induce oxidative stress and DNA damage via ROS, activating apoptosis and cellular injury.
- Mycotoxins disrupt autophagy, impacting cell survival.
- Mycotoxin-induced damage triggers inflammatory pathways, contributing to tissue injury.
- Nutritional compounds (Lycopene, Curcumin, Thyme oil, Gum Arabic, Ginger) and probiotics/prebiotics show promise in reducing oxidative stress and inflammation.
Conclusions:
- Dietary modulation with antioxidants and other bioactive compounds offers a strategy to counteract mycotoxin toxicity.
- Advanced molecular and omics technologies are crucial for personalized nutritional recommendations and interventions.
- Integrating dietary strategies with mycotoxin risk management is essential for safeguarding health and enhancing resilience.
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