Alfalfa polysaccharides-driven Kineothrix alysoides alleviates deoxynivalenol-induced intestinal injury by regulating...

Deoxynivalenol (DON), as one of the common mycotoxins, is widely present in crops and poses a significant threat to host health. Alfalfa polysaccharides (APs), as novel prebiotics, exert significant immunoregulatory effects and can modulate gut microbiota (GM). However, it remains unclear whether APs can alleviate DON-induced intestinal injury. In this study, we demonstrated that APs attenuated DON-induced intestinal toxicity by reducing inflammatory responses, maintaining intestinal barrier integrity, and promoting M2 macrophage polarization. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) assays showed that transplantation of DON-disrupted GM into healthy recipient mice recapitulated the intestinal pathological injury induced by DON, whereas transplantation of fecal microbiota from the control and APs-treated groups exerted no adverse effects in mice. APs treatment restored the disrupted GM and significantly upregulated the abundance of Kineothrix alysoides (K. alysoides). Gavage administration of K. alysoides effectively alleviated DON-induced intestinal injury and inhibited M1 macrophage polarization. The beneficial effects of K. alysoides were abolished when macrophages were depleted using clodronate liposomes. Collectively, these results indicate that APs can ameliorate DON-induced intestinal injury by regulating K. alysoides and macrophage polarization, providing an important scientific basis for the future application of APs in food and feed products.