{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,19]],"date-time":"2026-08-19T18:08:14Z","timestamp":1787162894742,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":45,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"20","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,10,17]],"date-time":"2024-10-17T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1729123200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"the National Key R&amp;D Program of China","award":["2023YFD1301005"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2023YFD1301005"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Animals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>This study investigated the effects and biological mechanisms of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) on the health and bile metabolism of ducklings. Forty-eight 1-day-old ducklings were randomly assigned to two groups, with six replicates per group. The control group was fed a basic diet, while the AFB1 group received a diet containing 90 \u00b5g\/kg of AFB1. The experiment lasted for 2 weeks. The results showed that 90 \u00b5g\/kg AFB1 caused abnormal bile metabolism; damaged liver cell nuclei and mitochondria; and significantly decreased body weight, average daily weight gain, and levels of albumin, total protein, cholesterol, total superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione. It also significantly increased feed conversion efficiency, along with alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, total bile acids, and malondialdehyde levels. In the liver, the expression levels of CYP7A1, SCD, and other genes were significantly upregulated, while BSEP, FASN, HMGCR, CAT, and other genes were significantly downregulated. In conclusion, AFB1 causes abnormal bile metabolism and impairs the overall health and liver function of ducklings. Its mechanism of action may involve changes in gene expression related to bile acid metabolism, lipid metabolism, oxidative damage, and cancer pathways.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ani14202996","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,10,17]],"date-time":"2024-10-17T03:49:34Z","timestamp":1729136974000},"page":"2996","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["Biological Mechanisms of Aflatoxin B1-Induced Bile Metabolism Abnormalities in Ducklings"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Yihong","family":"Chu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Aimei","family":"Yu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3042-7024","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Huanbin","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Shahid Ali","family":"Rajput","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Science, Muhammad Nawaz Shareef University of Agriculture, Multan 60000, Pakistan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Qianqian","family":"Yu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7376-0199","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Desheng","family":"Qi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,10,17]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Pickova, D., Ostry, V., and Malir, F. (2021). A Recent Overview of Producers and Important Dietary Sources of Aflatoxins. Toxins, 13.","DOI":"10.3390\/toxins13030186"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Tumukunde, E., Xie, R., and Wang, S. (2021). Updates on the Functions and Molecular Mechanisms of the Genes Involved in Aspergillus flavus Development and Biosynthesis of Aflatoxins. J. Fungi., 7.","DOI":"10.3390\/jof7080666"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"9996503","DOI":"10.1155\/2021\/9996503","article-title":"The Mechanism Underlying the Extreme Sensitivity of Duck to Aflatoxin B1","volume":"2021","author":"Wu","year":"2021","journal-title":"Oxid. Med. Cell. Longev."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"431","DOI":"10.1080\/00071688108447906","article-title":"Susceptibility of various poultry species to dietary aflatoxin","volume":"22","author":"Arafa","year":"1981","journal-title":"Br. Poult. Sci."},{"key":"ref_5","unstructured":"Coucke, E.M., Akbar, H., Kahloon, A., and Lopez, P.P. (2024). Biliary Obstruction. StatPearls, StatPearls Publishing."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4909","DOI":"10.1002\/cphy.c220028","article-title":"Gallstone and Gallbladder Disease: Biliary Tract and Cholangiopathies","volume":"13","author":"Ceci","year":"2023","journal-title":"Compr. Physiol."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Yu, A., Wang, H., Cheng, Q., Rajput, S.A., and Qi, D. (2024). The Effects of Aflatoxin B1 on Liver Cholestasis and Its Nutritional Regulation in Ducks. Toxins, 16.","DOI":"10.3390\/toxins16060239"},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"145","DOI":"10.1006\/taap.1994.1148","article-title":"Aflatoxin B1-induced lipid peroxidation in rat liver","volume":"127","author":"Shen","year":"1994","journal-title":"Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"79","DOI":"10.1016\/j.mrrev.2018.10.002","article-title":"Aflatoxin B1 metabolism: Regulation by phase I and II metabolizing enzymes and chemoprotective agents","volume":"778","author":"Deng","year":"2018","journal-title":"Mutat. Res. Rev. Mutat. Res."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Benkerroum, N. (2020). Chronic and Acute Toxicities of Aflatoxins: Mechanisms of Action. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 17.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph17020423"},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"426","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bbrc.2016.11.088","article-title":"The role of mitochondria in metabolism and cell death","volume":"482","author":"Ouchida","year":"2017","journal-title":"Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"947","DOI":"10.1111\/jpn.12896","article-title":"Changes in the regulation and activity of glutathione redox system, and lipid peroxidation processes in short-term aflatoxin B1 exposure in liver of laying hens","volume":"102","author":"Erdelyi","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Anim. Physiol. Anim. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"di Gregorio, M.C., Cautela, J., and Galantini, L. (2021). Physiology and Physical Chemistry of Bile Acids. Int. J. Mol. Sci., 22.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms22041780"},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Yu, C.L.M., and Kiat, H.H. (2024). Pharmacological modulation of cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase (CYP7A1) as a therapeutic strategy for hypercholesterolemia. Biochem. Pharmacol., 220.","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bcp.2023.115985"},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Wang, H., Wu, K., Mi, X., Rajput, S.A., and Qi, D. (2023). Effects of 3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors on Cholesterol Metabolism in Laying Hens. Animals, 13.","DOI":"10.3390\/ani13111868"},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2879","DOI":"10.7150\/ijbs.84994","article-title":"The potential role and mechanism of circRNA\/miRNA axis in cholesterol synthesis","volume":"19","author":"Chen","year":"2023","journal-title":"Int. J. Biol. Sci."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"7341","DOI":"10.3748\/wjg.v19.i42.7341","article-title":"Physiological and molecular biochemical mechanisms of bile formation","volume":"19","author":"Reshetnyak","year":"2013","journal-title":"World J. Gastroenterol."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"501","DOI":"10.1517\/14728222.2016.1102889","article-title":"Recent advances in the exploration of the bile salt export pump (BSEP\/ABCB11) function","volume":"20","author":"Telbisz","year":"2016","journal-title":"Expert Opin. Ther. Targets"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"110658","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fct.2019.110658","article-title":"The response of glandular gastric transcriptome to T-2 toxin in chicks","volume":"132","author":"Luo","year":"2019","journal-title":"Food Chem. Toxicol."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Wang, H., An, Y., Rajput, S.A., and Qi, D. (2024). Resveratrol and (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate Regulate Lipid Metabolism by Activating the AMPK Pathway in Hepatocytes. Biology, 13.","DOI":"10.3390\/biology13060368"},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"012102","DOI":"10.1088\/1755-1315\/387\/1\/012102","article-title":"Effects of curcumin supplementation in aflatoxin B1-contaminated diet on the performance and egg quality of laying duck","volume":"387","author":"Sumantri","year":"2019","journal-title":"IOP Conf. Ser. Earth Environ. Sci."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Wang, Y., Wu, J., Wang, L., Yang, P., Liu, Z., Rajput, S.A., Hassan, M., and Qi, D. (2022). Epigallocatechin Gallate and Glutathione Attenuate Aflatoxin B1-Induced Acute Liver Injury in Ducklings via Mitochondria-Mediated Apoptosis and the Nrf2 Signalling Pathway. Toxins, 14.","DOI":"10.3390\/toxins14120876"},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1948","DOI":"10.3382\/ps\/pew420","article-title":"Effects of maize naturally contaminated with aflatoxin B1 on growth performance, intestinal morphology, and digestive physiology in ducks","volume":"96","author":"Feng","year":"2017","journal-title":"Poult. Sci."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"97","DOI":"10.1080\/10495398.2021.1939042","article-title":"Effect of dietary protein on growth performance, and serum biochemical index in late pregnant Hu ewes and their offspring","volume":"34","author":"Wang","year":"2023","journal-title":"Anim. Biotechnol."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e50184","DOI":"10.4025\/actascianimsci.v42i1.50184","article-title":"Effects of three Bacillus specious on hatchability, growth performance and serum biochemistry in Japanese quails fed diet contaminated with Aflatoxin B1","volume":"42","author":"Mojgani","year":"2020","journal-title":"Acta Sci. Anim. Sci."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"118","DOI":"10.1016\/j.etap.2018.04.015","article-title":"Effect of probiotic supplement on aflatoxicosis and gene expression in the liver of broiler chicken","volume":"60","author":"Salem","year":"2018","journal-title":"Environ. Toxicol. Pharmacol."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e21837","DOI":"10.1016\/j.heliyon.2023.e21837","article-title":"Acute aflatoxin B1-induced hepatic and cardiac oxidative damage in rats: Ameliorative effects of morin","volume":"9","author":"Altyar","year":"2023","journal-title":"Heliyon"},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Walker, B.R., and Moraes, C.T. (2022). Nuclear-Mitochondrial Interactions. Biomolecules, 12.","DOI":"10.3390\/biom12030427"},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Huang, C., Deng, K., and Wu, M. (2023). Mitochondrial cristae in health and disease. Int. J. Biol. Macromol., 235.","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijbiomac.2023.123755"},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2496","DOI":"10.1016\/j.febslet.2014.05.054","article-title":"Mitochondrial protein synthesis: Figuring the fundamentals, complexities and complications, of mammalian mitochondrial translation","volume":"588","author":"Lightowlers","year":"2014","journal-title":"FEBS Lett."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"180","DOI":"10.1016\/j.molimm.2020.12.037","article-title":"DNA damage-triggered activation of cGAS-STING pathway induces apoptosis in human keratinocyte HaCaT cells","volume":"131","author":"Li","year":"2021","journal-title":"Mol. Immunol."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"G549","DOI":"10.1152\/ajpgi.00152.2020","article-title":"Bile acid metabolism and circadian rhythms","volume":"319","author":"Yang","year":"2020","journal-title":"Am. J. Physiol. Gastrointest. Liver Physiol."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Yuan, Y., Fang, A., Wang, Z., Wang, Z., Sui, B., Zhu, Y., Zhang, Y., Wang, C., Zhang, R., and Zhou, M. (2023). The CH24H metabolite, 24HC, blocks viral entry by disrupting intracellular cholesterol homeostasis. Redox Biol., 64.","DOI":"10.1016\/j.redox.2023.102769"},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"254","DOI":"10.1038\/s41586-019-0920-1","article-title":"The CH25H-CYP7B1-RORalpha axis of cholesterol metabolism regulates osteoarthritis","volume":"566","author":"Choi","year":"2019","journal-title":"Nature"},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"536","DOI":"10.1016\/j.clinre.2012.06.006","article-title":"The bile salt export pump (BSEP) in health and disease","volume":"36","author":"Kubitz","year":"2012","journal-title":"Clin. Res. Hepatol. Gastroenterol."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1259","DOI":"10.1042\/BST20190130","article-title":"ABCG5\/G8: A structural view to pathophysiology of the hepatobiliary cholesterol secretion","volume":"47","author":"Zein","year":"2019","journal-title":"Biochem. Soc. Trans."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"113751","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fct.2023.113751","article-title":"Aflatoxin B1 induces liver injury by disturbing gut microbiota-bile acid-FXR axis in mice","volume":"176","author":"Liu","year":"2023","journal-title":"Food Chem. Toxicol."},{"key":"ref_38","first-page":"521","article-title":"Impairment of bile secretion induced by aflatoxin B1 in the rat","volume":"38","author":"Carrillo","year":"1982","journal-title":"Res. Commun. Chem. Pathol. Pharmacol."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"103225","DOI":"10.1016\/j.etap.2019.103225","article-title":"Clinical features of aflatoxin B1-exposed patients with liver cancer and the molecular mechanism of aflatoxin B1 on liver cancer cells","volume":"71","author":"Zhou","year":"2019","journal-title":"Environ. Toxicol. Pharmacol."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1343","DOI":"10.1111\/jpn.13359","article-title":"Efficacy of some feed additives to attenuate the hepato-renal damage induced by aflatoxin B1 in rabbits","volume":"104","author":"Ismail","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Anim. Physiol. Anim. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"272","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1439-0396.2007.00752.x","article-title":"Liver lipid metabolism","volume":"92","author":"Nguyen","year":"2008","journal-title":"J. Anim. Physiol. Anim. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"63","DOI":"10.24272\/j.issn.2095-8137.2022.167","article-title":"Depletion of stearoyl-CoA desaturase (scd) leads to fatty liver disease and defective mating behavior in zebrafish","volume":"44","author":"Xu","year":"2023","journal-title":"Zool. Res."},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"8140","DOI":"10.3748\/wjg.v23.i46.8140","article-title":"miR-192-5p regulates lipid synthesis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease through SCD-1","volume":"23","author":"Liu","year":"2017","journal-title":"World J. Gastroenterol."},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Costa, C.F., Lismont, C., Chornyi, S., Li, H., Hussein, M.A.F., Waterham, H.R., and Fransen, M. (2023). Functional Analysis of GSTK1 in Peroxisomal Redox Homeostasis in HEK-293 Cells. Antioxidants, 12.","DOI":"10.3390\/antiox12061236"},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Zhao, G., Zhao, W., Cui, X., Xu, B., Liu, Q., Li, H., and Guo, X. (2021). Identification of an MGST2 gene and analysis of its function in antioxidant processes in Apis cerana cerana. Arch. Insect Biochem. Physiol., 106.","DOI":"10.1002\/arch.21770"}],"container-title":["Animals"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-2615\/14\/20\/2996\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T16:14:49Z","timestamp":1760112889000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-2615\/14\/20\/2996"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2024,10,17]]},"references-count":45,"journal-issue":{"issue":"20","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,10]]}},"alternative-id":["ani14202996"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ani14202996","relation":{},"ISSN":["2076-2615"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2076-2615","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2024,10,17]]}}}