{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,22]],"date-time":"2026-01-22T02:37:15Z","timestamp":1769049435797,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":45,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"9","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2020,9,4]],"date-time":"2020-09-04T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1599177600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Key Research and Development Program of China","award":["S2016G4513"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["S2016G4513"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Toxins"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a mycotoxin found in grains that poses a potential threat to human and animal health, and the gastrointestinal tract is the primary target organ. There are few studies focused on the toxicology of DON to rabbits, especially on the relation among DON, microbiota, and the gut-associated lymphoid tissue. A total of 30 weaned rabbits (35 d) were evenly divided into the control group and DON group (1.5 mg\/kg bodyweight (BW)) based on their body weight. After a 24-day trial, the ultrastructures of the sacculus rotundus and vermiform appendix were observed using a scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscopy. The morphology and microflora in the ileum, caecum, and colon were also examined. The results proved that the ultrastructure of the sacculus rotundus and vermiform appendix, as well as the integrity of the intestinal barrier (especially for the ileum), were impaired after DON was administrated to the rabbits. Compared to the control group, the relative abundance and diversity of the microflora decreased in all three intestinal segments in the DON group, particularly in the ileum and caecum. In conclusion, the toxic effect of DON on weaned rabbits may be performed by destroying the structure of the sacculus rotundus and vermiform appendix, as well as affecting the structure and diversity of the intestinal flora.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/toxins12090569","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,9,4]],"date-time":"2020-09-04T12:20:06Z","timestamp":1599222006000},"page":"569","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":23,"title":["The Effects of Deoxynivalenol on the Ultrastructure of the Sacculus Rotundus and Vermiform Appendix, as Well as the Intestinal Microbiota of Weaned Rabbits"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"12","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6707-2274","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Chunyang","family":"Wang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, 61 Daizong Street, Taian 271018, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2318-1954","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Libo","family":"Huang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, 61 Daizong Street, Taian 271018, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8404-9754","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Pengwei","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, 61 Daizong Street, Taian 271018, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0284-6379","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Quancheng","family":"Liu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, 61 Daizong Street, Taian 271018, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Jinquan","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,9,4]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"37","DOI":"10.1080\/1745039X.2012.755328","article-title":"Bioavailability of the Fusarium toxin deoxynivalenol (DON) from wheat straw and chaff in pigs","volume":"67","author":"Rohweder","year":"2013","journal-title":"Arch. Anim. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"905","DOI":"10.1007\/s13213-014-0899-7","article-title":"Biological detoxification of mycotoxins: A review","volume":"64","author":"Hathout","year":"2014","journal-title":"Ann. Microbiol."},{"key":"ref_3","first-page":"53","article-title":"Mycotoxins in rabbit feed: A review","volume":"17","author":"Balogh","year":"2009","journal-title":"World Rabbit Sci."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"956056","DOI":"10.1100\/2012\/956056","article-title":"Mycoflora and natural incidence of selected mycotoxins in rabbit and Chinchilla feeds","volume":"2012","author":"Greco","year":"2012","journal-title":"Sci. World J."},{"key":"ref_5","first-page":"2","article-title":"Individual and Combined Effects of Subchronic Exposure of Three Fusarium Toxins (Fumonisin B, Deoxynivalenol and Zearalenone) in Rabbit Bucks","volume":"5","author":"Kachlek","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Clin. Toxicol."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"327","DOI":"10.1002\/jat.3083","article-title":"Impacts of the feed contaminant deoxynivalenol on the intestine of monogastric animals: Poultry and swine","volume":"35","author":"Ghareeb","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Appl. Toxicol."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"7","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fct.2015.02.013","article-title":"Impact of deoxynivalenol (DON) contaminated feed on intestinal integrity and immune response in swine","volume":"80","author":"Lessard","year":"2015","journal-title":"Food Chem. Toxicol."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"342","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fct.2018.01.013","article-title":"Deoxynivalenol, gut microbiota and immunotoxicity: A potential approach?","volume":"112","author":"Liao","year":"2018","journal-title":"Food Chem. Toxicol."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"249","DOI":"10.1080\/10937404.2017.1326071","article-title":"Impact of mycotoxins on the intestine: Are mucus and microbiota new targets?","volume":"20","author":"Robert","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Toxicol. Environ. Health Part B"},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"14103","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-018-32484-1","article-title":"Diet induced changes in the microbiota and cell composition of rabbit gut associated lymphoid tissue (GALT)","volume":"8","author":"Arrazuria","year":"2018","journal-title":"Sci. Rep."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"49","DOI":"10.1016\/S0300-483X(03)00043-X","article-title":"Species differences in the structure and function of the immune system","volume":"188","author":"Haley","year":"2003","journal-title":"Toxicolology"},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"259","DOI":"10.1189\/jlb.0313120","article-title":"The enigma of the lower gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT)","volume":"94","author":"Butler","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Leukoc. Biol."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"339","DOI":"10.1016\/j.crpv.2012.12.001","article-title":"Multiple independent appearances of the cecal appendix in mammalian evolution and an investigation of related ecological and anatomical factors","volume":"12","author":"Smith","year":"2013","journal-title":"Comptes Rendus Palevol"},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"139","DOI":"10.1016\/S1094-9194(02)00024-5","article-title":"Rabbit gastrointestinal physiology","volume":"6","author":"Davies","year":"2003","journal-title":"Vet. Clin. Exot. Anim."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"285","DOI":"10.1007\/s00441-017-2659-z","article-title":"Intestinal macrophages in Peyer\u2019s patches, sacculus rotundus and appendix of Angora rabbit","volume":"370","author":"Beyaz","year":"2017","journal-title":"Cell Tissue Res."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"34","DOI":"10.1093\/ilar\/ilw004","article-title":"Characterization of New Zealand White Rabbit Gut-Associated Lymphoid Tissues and use as Viral Oncology Animal Model","volume":"57","author":"Haines","year":"2016","journal-title":"ILAR J."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"139","DOI":"10.1097\/MIB.0000000000000215","article-title":"Functional Impacts of the Intestinal Microbiome in the Pathogenesis of Inflammatory Bowel Disease","volume":"21","author":"Li","year":"2015","journal-title":"Inflamm. Bowel Dis."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"285","DOI":"10.1016\/j.livsci.2013.04.018","article-title":"Effects of dietary fiber and starch levels on the non-specific immune response of growing rabbits","volume":"155","author":"Zhu","year":"2013","journal-title":"Livest. Sci."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"442","DOI":"10.1111\/jsap.12242","article-title":"Effects of probiotic Enterococcus faecium and Saccharomyces cerevisiae on the faecal microflora of pet rabbits","volume":"55","author":"Benato","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Small Anim. Pract."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1578","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cell.2012.04.037","article-title":"Gut Immune Maturation Depends on Colonization with a Host-Specific Microbiota","volume":"149","author":"Chung","year":"2012","journal-title":"Cell"},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"980","DOI":"10.1016\/j.dci.2008.01.013","article-title":"Microbial induction of B and T cell areas in rabbit appendix","volume":"32","author":"Hanson","year":"2008","journal-title":"Dev. Comp. Immunol."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"140","DOI":"10.1016\/j.molimm.2012.11.010","article-title":"Diversification of the primary antibody repertoire begins during early follicle development in the rabbit appendix","volume":"54","author":"Zhai","year":"2013","journal-title":"Mol. Immunol."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"137","DOI":"10.1016\/j.dci.2005.06.017","article-title":"B cell and antibody repertoire development in rabbits: The requirement of gut-associated lymphoid tissues","volume":"30","author":"Mage","year":"2006","journal-title":"Dev. Comp. Immunol."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"15","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev-phyto-082718-100318","article-title":"Fusarium graminearum Trichothecene Mycotoxins: Biosynthesis, Regulation, and Management","volume":"57","author":"Chen","year":"2019","journal-title":"Annu. Rev. Phytopathol."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2414","DOI":"10.1096\/fj.13-238717","article-title":"Deoxynivalenol: A trigger for intestinal integrity breakdown","volume":"28","author":"Akbari","year":"2014","journal-title":"FASEB J."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1007","DOI":"10.1007\/s00204-016-1794-8","article-title":"The intestinal barrier as an emerging target in the toxicological assessment of mycotoxins","volume":"91","author":"Akbari","year":"2016","journal-title":"Arch. Toxicol."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1186\/s40813-016-0041-2","article-title":"Impact of two mycotoxins deoxynivalenol and fumonisin on pig intestinal health","volume":"2","author":"Pierron","year":"2016","journal-title":"Porc. Health Manag."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"180","DOI":"10.1093\/toxsci\/kfs239","article-title":"Toxicity of Deoxynivalenol and its Acetylated Derivatives on the Intestine: Differential Effects on Morphology, Barrier Function, Tight Junction Proteins, and Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases","volume":"130","author":"Pinton","year":"2012","journal-title":"Toxicol. Sci."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Yang, W., Huang, L., Wang, P., Wu, Z., Li, F., and Wang, C. (2019). The Effect of Low and High Dose Deoxynivalenol on Intestinal Morphology, Distribution, and Expression of Inflammatory Cytokines of Weaning Rabbits. Toxins, 11.","DOI":"10.3390\/toxins11080473"},{"key":"ref_30","first-page":"265","article-title":"Recent findings and future perspectives of digestive physiology in rabbits: A review","volume":"37","author":"Fekete","year":"1989","journal-title":"Acta Vet. Hung."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Li, F., Wang, J., Huang, L., Chen, H., and Wang, C. (2017). Effects of Adding Clostridium sp. WJ06 on Intestinal Morphology and Microbial Diversity of Growing Pigs Fed with Natural Deoxynivalenol Contaminated Wheat. Toxins, 9.","DOI":"10.3390\/toxins9120383"},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"784","DOI":"10.3390\/toxins5040784","article-title":"From the Gut to the Brain: Journey and Pathophysiological Effects of the Food-Associated Trichothecene Mycotoxin Deoxynivalenol","volume":"5","author":"Maresca","year":"2013","journal-title":"Toxins"},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"97","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vetimm.2005.09.009","article-title":"Regulated expression of peripheral node addressin-positive high endothelial venules controls seeding of B lymphocytes into developing neonatal rabbit appendix","volume":"110","author":"Sinha","year":"2006","journal-title":"Vet. Immunol. Immunopathol."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"178","DOI":"10.1016\/j.reprotox.2019.06.005","article-title":"Comparison of immune system development in nonclinical species and humans: Closing information gaps for immunotoxicity testing and human translatability","volume":"89","author":"Skaggs","year":"2019","journal-title":"Reprod. Toxicol."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"127","DOI":"10.1007\/BF00304619","article-title":"Identification of M cells and their distribution in rabbit intestinal Peyer\u2019s patches and appendix","volume":"273","author":"Jepson","year":"1993","journal-title":"Cell Tissue Res."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"17","DOI":"10.1078\/1438-4221-00242","article-title":"Intestinal M cells and their role in bacterial infection","volume":"293","author":"Clark","year":"2003","journal-title":"Int. J. Med. Microbiol."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Cano, P.M., Seeboth, J., Meurens, F., Cogni\u00e9, J., Abrami, R., Oswald, I.P., and Guzylack-Piriou, L. (2013). Deoxynivalenol as a New Factor in the Persistence of Intestinal Inflammatory Diseases: An Emerging Hypothesis through Possible Modulation of Th17-Mediated Response. PLoS ONE, 8.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0053647"},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"282","DOI":"10.1016\/j.toxicon.2010.04.016","article-title":"Some food-associated mycotoxins as potential risk factors in humans predisposed to chronic intestinal inflammatory diseases","volume":"56","author":"Maresca","year":"2010","journal-title":"Toxicon"},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"771","DOI":"10.1139\/cjm-2015-0201","article-title":"Impact of dietary fiber\/starch ratio in shaping caecal microbiota in rabbits","volume":"61","author":"Zhu","year":"2015","journal-title":"Can. J. Microbiol."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1111\/jpn.12629","article-title":"The Effect of Lactobacillus isolates on growth performance, immune response, intestinal bacterial community composition of growing Rex Rabbits","volume":"101","author":"Wang","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Anim. Physiol. Anim. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1021","DOI":"10.1002\/jat.3475","article-title":"Review of mechanisms of deoxynivalenol-induced anorexia: The role of gut microbiota","volume":"37","author":"Peng","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Appl. Toxicol."},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.livsci.2006.09.005","article-title":"A review on the interactions between gut microflora and digestive mucosal immunity. Possible ways to improve the health of rabbits","volume":"107","author":"Boullier","year":"2007","journal-title":"Livest. Sci."},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Bryla, M., Waskiewicz, A., Ksieniewicz-Wozniak, E., Szymczyk, K., and Jedrzejczak, R. (2018). Modified Fusarium Mycotoxins in Cereals and Their Products-Metabolism, Occurrence, and Toxicity: An Updated Review. Molecules, 23.","DOI":"10.3390\/molecules23040963"},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4516","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.1000080107","article-title":"Global patterns of 16S rRNA diversity at a depth of millions of sequences per sample","volume":"108","author":"Caporaso","year":"2010","journal-title":"Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA"},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1792","DOI":"10.1093\/nar\/gkh340","article-title":"MUSCLE: Multiple sequence alignment with high accuracy and high throughput","volume":"32","author":"Edgar","year":"2004","journal-title":"Nucleic Acids Res."}],"container-title":["Toxins"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2072-6651\/12\/9\/569\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T10:06:46Z","timestamp":1760177206000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2072-6651\/12\/9\/569"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2020,9,4]]},"references-count":45,"journal-issue":{"issue":"9","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,9]]}},"alternative-id":["toxins12090569"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/toxins12090569","relation":{},"ISSN":["2072-6651"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2072-6651","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2020,9,4]]}}}