Hepatotoxicity of food-borne mycotoxins: molecular mechanism, anti-hepatotoxic medicines and target prediction

Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2022;62(9):2281-2308. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2021.1960794. Epub 2021 Aug 4.

Abstract

Mycotoxins are metabolites produced by fungi. The widespread contamination of food and feed by mycotoxins is a global food safety problem and a serious threat to people's health. Most food-borne mycotoxins have strong hepatotoxicity. However, no effective methods have been found to prevent or treat Mycotoxin- Induced Liver Injury (MILI) in clinical and animal husbandry. In this paper, the molecular mechanisms and potential anti-MILI medicines of six food-borne MILI are reviewed, and their targets are predicted by network toxicology, which provides a theoretical basis for further study of the toxicity mechanism of MILI and the development of effective strategies to manage MILI-related health problems in the future and accelerate the development of food safety.

Keywords: Anti-hepatotoxic medicines; hepatotoxicity; molecular mechanism; mycotoxins; target prediction.

MeSH terms

  • Animal Feed / analysis
  • Animals
  • Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury* / drug therapy
  • Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury* / prevention & control
  • Food
  • Food Contamination / analysis
  • Food Contamination / prevention & control
  • Fungi
  • Humans
  • Mycotoxins* / analysis
  • Mycotoxins* / toxicity

Substances

  • Mycotoxins