Aflatoxin B1 impairs the growth and development of chicken PGCs through oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction

Aflatoxins harm the reproductive system and gamete development in animals. Primordial germ cells (PGCs) in chickens, as ancestral cells of gametes, are essential for genetic transmission, yet the impact and mechanisms of aflatoxins on them remain elusive. This study systematically investigated the e...

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Main Authors: Ying-Jie Niu, Jun Wu, Wenjie Ren, Guangzheng Liu, Gaoyuan Wu, Yixiu Peng, Dan Zheng, Kai Jin, Qisheng Zuo, Guohui Li, Wei Han, Xiang-Shun Cui, Guohong Chen, Bichun Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-01-01
Series:Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651325000636
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author Ying-Jie Niu
Jun Wu
Wenjie Ren
Guangzheng Liu
Gaoyuan Wu
Yixiu Peng
Dan Zheng
Kai Jin
Qisheng Zuo
Guohui Li
Wei Han
Xiang-Shun Cui
Guohong Chen
Bichun Li
author_facet Ying-Jie Niu
Jun Wu
Wenjie Ren
Guangzheng Liu
Gaoyuan Wu
Yixiu Peng
Dan Zheng
Kai Jin
Qisheng Zuo
Guohui Li
Wei Han
Xiang-Shun Cui
Guohong Chen
Bichun Li
author_sort Ying-Jie Niu
collection DOAJ
description Aflatoxins harm the reproductive system and gamete development in animals. Primordial germ cells (PGCs) in chickens, as ancestral cells of gametes, are essential for genetic transmission, yet the impact and mechanisms of aflatoxins on them remain elusive. This study systematically investigated the effects of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) on chicken PGCs and their potential mechanisms using an in vitro culture model. We observed a significant reduction in PGC numbers and an increase in apoptosis levels with AFB1 treatment. Further analysis revealed that AFB1 induced mitochondrial structural and functional abnormalities. Additionally, AFB1 treatment led to increased oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, ferroptosis, and autophagy in chicken PGCs, ultimately affecting their biological characteristics. Interestingly, we found that the NRF2-mediated antioxidant pathway was activated in AFB1-treated PGCs. Inhibiting NRF2 exacerbated oxidative stress and cell death in PGCs, suggesting NRF2 upregulation plays a protective role under AFB1 regulation. This study illuminates AFB1's toxic effects on chicken PGCs and provides insights into potential mechanisms, establishing a basis for strategies to prevent and treat AFB1's adverse effects on poultry genetic transmission.
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institution Kabale University
issn 0147-6513
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
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series Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
spelling doaj-art-61bd3c49c2f14ee2815af2334676371b2025-02-12T05:30:06ZengElsevierEcotoxicology and Environmental Safety0147-65132025-01-01290117727Aflatoxin B1 impairs the growth and development of chicken PGCs through oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunctionYing-Jie Niu0Jun Wu1Wenjie Ren2Guangzheng Liu3Gaoyuan Wu4Yixiu Peng5Dan Zheng6Kai Jin7Qisheng Zuo8Guohui Li9Wei Han10Xiang-Shun Cui11Guohong Chen12Bichun Li13Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, ChinaJoint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, ChinaJoint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, ChinaJoint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, ChinaJoint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, ChinaJoint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, ChinaJoint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, ChinaJoint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, ChinaJoint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, ChinaPoultry Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225125, ChinaPoultry Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225125, ChinaDepartment of Animal Science, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, South KoreaJoint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, ChinaJoint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China; Correspondence to: Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China.Aflatoxins harm the reproductive system and gamete development in animals. Primordial germ cells (PGCs) in chickens, as ancestral cells of gametes, are essential for genetic transmission, yet the impact and mechanisms of aflatoxins on them remain elusive. This study systematically investigated the effects of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) on chicken PGCs and their potential mechanisms using an in vitro culture model. We observed a significant reduction in PGC numbers and an increase in apoptosis levels with AFB1 treatment. Further analysis revealed that AFB1 induced mitochondrial structural and functional abnormalities. Additionally, AFB1 treatment led to increased oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, ferroptosis, and autophagy in chicken PGCs, ultimately affecting their biological characteristics. Interestingly, we found that the NRF2-mediated antioxidant pathway was activated in AFB1-treated PGCs. Inhibiting NRF2 exacerbated oxidative stress and cell death in PGCs, suggesting NRF2 upregulation plays a protective role under AFB1 regulation. This study illuminates AFB1's toxic effects on chicken PGCs and provides insights into potential mechanisms, establishing a basis for strategies to prevent and treat AFB1's adverse effects on poultry genetic transmission.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651325000636Aflatoxin B1Primordial germ cellsOxidative stressMitochondrionNRF2
spellingShingle Ying-Jie Niu
Jun Wu
Wenjie Ren
Guangzheng Liu
Gaoyuan Wu
Yixiu Peng
Dan Zheng
Kai Jin
Qisheng Zuo
Guohui Li
Wei Han
Xiang-Shun Cui
Guohong Chen
Bichun Li
Aflatoxin B1 impairs the growth and development of chicken PGCs through oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
Aflatoxin B1
Primordial germ cells
Oxidative stress
Mitochondrion
NRF2
title Aflatoxin B1 impairs the growth and development of chicken PGCs through oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction
title_full Aflatoxin B1 impairs the growth and development of chicken PGCs through oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction
title_fullStr Aflatoxin B1 impairs the growth and development of chicken PGCs through oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction
title_full_unstemmed Aflatoxin B1 impairs the growth and development of chicken PGCs through oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction
title_short Aflatoxin B1 impairs the growth and development of chicken PGCs through oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction
title_sort aflatoxin b1 impairs the growth and development of chicken pgcs through oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction
topic Aflatoxin B1
Primordial germ cells
Oxidative stress
Mitochondrion
NRF2
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651325000636
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