Impact of mycotoxins and their metabolites associated with food grains

Mycotoxins are secondary toxic metabolites synthesized by numerous filamentous fungi including members of the genus Fusarium,Penicillium,Drechslera,Aspergillus,Claviceps,Monascum,Alternaria,Cephalosporium,Nigrospora,and Trichoderma.Among them,Aspergillus and Fusarium species are major plant pathogens recognized to induce infection and produce mycotoxins in food crops.More than 400 mycotoxins have been documented and among them,aflatoxin,fumonisins,trichothecenes,zearalenone,ochratoxin A,citrinin,ergot alkaloids,and patulin are the most prominent compounds linked to a variety of human and animal health disorders.Genus Fusarium and Aspergillus belong to a saprophytic group,which can infect and contaminate many crops at pre and post-harvest stages.Mycotoxins can have a variety of negative effects on health in both humans and animals.Mycotoxins and their metabolites can cause severe acute poisoning,which can result in death,as well as long-term negative health effects,such as cancer and immune-suppressive disorders in living beings(animals and humans).Mycotoxin contamination of agricultural goods has gained global significance,due to its toxic effects on living beings,as well as its importance to international trade.Our objective is to provide a consolidated information on the potential mycotixs in food grains and their significant impact on the health of the human beings.

Mycotoxin’s Infections and Prevention Methods: State of the Art

Fungi that attack field crops and contaminate agricultural commodities produce mycotoxins when conditions are favorable. These are specialized metabolites made of poisonous chemical compounds created by bacteria, fungi, or plants that aren’t involved in the organism’s usual growth, development, or reproduction. They have an adversarial hold on humans, wildlife, and the agricultural sector, resulting in mysterious ailments and economic disruptions. Mycotoxins-tainted food and fodder can be found all over the world, posing a global concern. Consumption of contaminated food and fodder is a typical cause of epidemic outbreaks. Other mycotoxins have been associated with esophageal cancer and neural tube defects (NTDs);the immunotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) causes diarrhea when combined with trichothecenes, and ochratoxin A (OTA) has been linked to kidney failure. The direct market costs associated with missed trade or lower revenues owing to tainted food or feed could be viewed as the economic repercussions of mycotoxins on human society. This review describes frequent groups of mycotoxins in detail, their impact on global health, their impact on the socio-economy;the methods of detection and prevention of these mycotoxins.

PREVENTIVE DETECTION OF FUNGI AND MYCOTOXINS IN CORN FROM HIGH RISKAREA OF ESOPHAGEAL CANCER IN CIXIAN COUNTY

ＰＲＥＶＥＮＴＩＶＥＤＥＴＥＣＴＩＯＮＯＦＦＵＮＧＩＡＮＤＭＹＣＯＴＯＸＩＮＳＩＮＣＯＲＮＦＲＯＭＨＩＧＨＲＩＳＫＡＲＥＡＯＦＥＳＯＰＨＡＧＥＡＬＣＡＮＣＥＲＩＮＣＩＸＩＡＮＣＯＵＮＴＹＺｈａｎｇＸｉａｎｇｈｏｎｇ；张祥宏；ＸｉｅＴｏｎｇｘｉｎ；谢同...

Alleviation of mycotoxin biodegradation agent on zearalenone and deoxynivalenol toxicosis in immature gilts

Background: The current study was carried out to evaluate the effects of mycotoxin biodegradation agent(MBA, composed of Bacillus subtilis ANSB01 G and Devosia sp. ANSB714) on relieving zearalenone(ZEA) and deoxynivalenol(DON) toxicosis in immature gilts.Methods: A total of forty pre-pubertal female gilts(61.42 ± 1.18 kg) were randomly allocated to four diet treatments: CO(positive control); MO(negative control, ZEA 596.86 μg/kg feed and DON 796 μg/kg feed);COA(CO + 2 g MBA/kg feed); MOA(MO + 2 g MBA/kg feed). Each treatment contained 10 replicates with 1 gilt per replicate. Gilts were housed in an environmentally controlled room with the partially slatted floor.Results: During the entire experimental period of 28 d, average daily gain(ADG) and average daily feed intake(ADFI)of gilts in MO group was significantly reduced compared with those in CO group. The vulva size of gilts was significantly higher in MO group than CO group. In addition, significant increases in the plasma levels of Ig A,Ig G, IL-8, IL-10 and PRL were determined in MO group compared with that in CO group. ZEA and DON in the diet upregulated apoptotic caspase-3 in ovaries and uteri, along with down-regulated the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 in ovaries. The supplementation of MBA into diets co-contaminated with ZEA and DON significantly increased ADG, decreased the vulva sizes, reduced the levels of Ig G, IL-8 and PRL in plasma, and regulated apoptosis in ovaries and uteri of gilts.Conclusions: The present results indicated that feeding diet contaminated with ZEA and DON simultaneously(596.86 μg/kg + 796 μg/kg) had detrimental effects on growth performance, plasma immune function and reproductive status of gilts. And MBA could reduce the negative impacts of these two toxins, believed as a promising feed additive for mitigating toxicosis of ZEA and DON at low levels in gilts.

Invited review:Remediation strategies for mycotoxin control in feed

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of different species of fungi.Aflatoxin B1(AFB1),deoxynivalenol(DON),zearalenone(ZEN)and fumonisin B1(FB1)are the main mycotoxins contaminating animal feedstuffs.These mycotoxins can primarily induce hepatotoxicity,immunotoxicity,neurotoxicity and nephrotoxicity,consequently cause adverse effects on the health and performance of animals.Therefore,physical,chemical,biological and nutritional regulation approaches have been developed as primary strategies for the decontamination and detoxification of these mycotoxins in the feed industry.Meanwhile,each of these techniques has its drawbacks,including inefficient,costly,or impractically applied on large scale.This review summarized the advantages and disadvantages of the different remediation strategies,as well as updates of the research progress of these strategies for AFB1,DON,ZEN and FB1 control in the feed industry.

Morphological and molecular response of small intestine to lactulose and hydrogen-rich water in female piglets fed Fusarium mycotoxins contaminated diet

Background: Following the intake of Fusarium mycotoxin-contaminated feed,small intestines may be exposed to high levels of toxic substances that can potentially damage intestinal functions in livestock.It is well known that Fusarium mycotoxins will lead a breakdown of the normally impeccable epithelial barrier,resulting in the development of a "leaky" gut.H2 administration with different methods has been proved definitely potentials to prevent serious intestinal diseases.The goal of this study is to investigate the roles of lactulose(LAC) and hydrogenrich water(HRW) in preventing intestinal dysfunction in piglets fed Fusarium mycotoxin-contaminated feed.Methods: A total of 24 female piglets were evenly assigned to 4 groups: negative control(NC) group,mycotoxincontaminated(MC) feed group,MC feed with LAC treatment(MC + LAC),and MC feed with HRW treatment(MC +HRW),respectively.Piglets in the NC group were fed uncontaminated control diet,while remaining piglets were fed Fusarium mycotoxin-contaminated diet.For the NC and MC groups,10 mL/kg body weight(BW) of hydrogen-free water(HFW) was orally administrated to piglets twice daily;while in the MC + LAC and MC + HRW groups,piglets were treated with the same dose of LAC solution(500 mg/kg BW) and HRW twice daily,respectively.On d 25,serum was collected and used for biochemical analysis.Intestinal tissues were sampled for morphological examination as well as relative genes and protein expression analysis.Results: Our data showed that Fusarium mycotoxins induced higher serum diamine oxidase(DAO) activities(P < 0.05),D-lactic acid levels(P < 0.01),and endotoxin status(P < 0.01),lower villus height(P < 0.01) and ratio of villus height to crypt depth(P < 0.05) in small intestine,greater apoptosis index and higher mRNA expression related to tight junctions(P < 0.05).In addition,the distribution and down-regulation of claudin-3(CLDN3) protein in the small intestinal was also observed.As expected,oral administrations of HRW and LAC were found to remarkably provide beneficial effects against Fusarium mycotoxin-induced apoptosis and intestinal leaking.Moreover,either HRW or LAC treatments were also revealed to prevent abnormal intestinal morphological changes,disintegrate tight junctions,and restore the expression and distribution of CLDN3 protein in the small intestinal mucosal layer in female piglets that were fed Fusarium mycotoxins contaminated diet.Conclusions: Our data suggest that orally administrations of HRW and LAC result in less Fusarium mycotoxininduced apoptosis and leak in the small intestine.Either HRW or LAC treatments could prevent the abnormal changes of intestinal morphology and molecular response of tight junctions as well as restore the distribution and expression of CLDN3 protein of small intestinal mucosa layer in female piglets that were fed Fusarium mycotoxins contaminated diet.

Fungal contamination of crude herbal remedies as a possible source of mycotoxin exposure in man

Objective:The documented evidence of toxigenic fungi and their toxic metabolites on medicinal plants,coupled with the ability of these toxins to resist decomposition and temperature treatments necessitated this study,with a view of surveying for a possible carry over into the final medicinal products.As such popular indigenous crude herbal preparations widely consumed for various ailments in south-western Nigeria,were screened for fungal contamination,mycoflora enumeration,flora mycotoxin productibility,detection and quantification of a potent human carcinogen(aflatoxin). Methods:Fungal contamination was assessed on acidified potato dextrose agar using the plate count method, while mycotoxin detection,extraction and quantification were achieved by the thin - layer chromatography and chemical confirmation techniques.Mycoflora were characterized by standard procedures.Results:The total plate count ranged from 1.80×10~4 CFU/ML to 1.1×10~5 CFU/ML and 2.00×10~3 CFU/ML to 1.38×10~5 CFU/ML for water and dry gin extracted preparations respectively.The mycoflora consisted of six genera(Aspergillus,Penicillium,Fusarium, Mucor,Alternaria and Rhizopus).Thirty-four percent(34%) of the potential toxigenic species(Aspergillus, Penicillium and Fusarium) produced mycotoxins in culture,while further characterization indicated production of aflatoxin Bl(42%),ochratoxin A(50%) and penicillic acid(8%) by the mycotoxigenic strains respectively. The aflatoxin content of the herbal medicines ranged between 0.004μg/kg and 0.345μg/kg.Conclusion:The study confirmed the carry over of the fungal contaminants and their toxic metabolites into the final herbal medicines in quantities that exceeded some of the available limits.The implication of this is that the chronic exposure to mycotoxins particularly aflatoxins as a result of long term consumption of these preparations,could lead to impaired growth, nutritional interference,immunologic suppression and hepatocellular carcinoma in the consumers.

Investigation of the Biochemical and Histological Changes Induced by Zearalenone Mycotoxin on Liver in Male Mice and the Protective Role of Crude Venom Extracted from Jellyfish <i>Cassiopea Andromeda</i>

Zearalenone (ZEN) is a non steroidal estrogenic mycotoxin produced by Fusarium species of fungi which contaminate human foods and animal feeds worldwide. In this study hepatotoxicity of ZEN was evaluated in mice by oral adminis-tration of single and repeated doses of ZEN mycotoxin (2.7 mg/kg b.w.). The protective effect of crude venom extracted from jellyfish Cassiopea andromeda was also assessed. Mice were divided into four groups (N = 10). G1: receiving the toxin once and sacrificed 48 h later, G2: toxin administered twice for one week, G3: toxin administered twice a week for two weeks, G4: pretreated orally by a single dose of crude venom (1.78 mg/20g) 24 hours prior to administration of ZEN twice a week for two weeks. Each treated group had its corresponding control which received 1% DMSO sa-line.ZEN treatment significantly increased alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartateaminotrnsferase (AST) and alka-line phosphatase (ALP) activities after 48 hours and two weeks, while ALT was also significantly increased after one week. Tumor necrosis factoralpha (TNF-α) level was undetected in treated and control groups except the group treated with ZEN for one week. Alphafetoprotein (AFP) level was increased significantly only after two weeks. The activity of antioxidants was significantly increased in all groups. ZEN was also found to modify the serum proteins especially gamma-globulin which showed a significant decrease after 48 h and two weeks. Improvement in liver func-tion occurred in the group pretreated with the crude venom, and AFP and antioxidants returned to normal level, while TNF-α level was also undetected. Gamma globulin was significantly increased. The recovery observed in the group which was pretreated with crude venom may related to bradykinin content of this venom which exhibits a hepatoprotective effect. Histological changes in mouse liver coincided with biochemical changes. In conclusion, this study revealed that ZEN induced liver function and structural changes promising an approach for using a crude venom of jellyfish to enhance liver function.

Risk Assessment of Mycotoxins Intake through the Consumption of Maize, Peanuts, Rice and Cassava in Côte D’Ivoire

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of filamentous fungi that colonize a wide range of crops, including cereals and oilseeds, both in the field and after harvest, especially during storage. Several studies carried out on the occurrence of mycotoxins in crops and their derived products such as maize, peanuts, rice and attieke (cassava product), reported substantial levels of Aflatoxins (AFs), Fumonisins (FBs), Ochratoxin A (OTA) and Zearalenone (ZEA). The aim of the present study was to analyze findings available on Aflatoxins, Ochratoxin A and Fusarium toxins occurrence in maize, peanuts, rice and attieke in order to assess the exposure level and cancers risk in the Ivorian population. References and publications related to OTA in Côte d’Ivoire were searched and selected. Medline/PubMed, Elsevier Bibliographic Databases, BioInfoBank Library, DOAJ (Directory of Open Acess Journal), Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences and https://medwelljournals.com/home.php were used as databases. Data available showed Estimated Daily Intake (EDI) of AFs and OTA were above of their Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) as recommended by the Joint FAO/WHO Experts Committee on Food Additives through rice, maize, peanut and attieke consumption in Côte d’Ivoire. In addition, there is a veritable incidence of cancers with the abundant and frequent consumption of foods maize, rice, peanuts and attieke. However, maize and rice seemed to be sources of FBs

Recent advances in immunoassays and biosensors for mycotoxins detection in feedstuffs and foods

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by fungus.Many mycotoxin species are highly toxic and are frequently found in cereals and feedstuffs.So,powerful detection methods are vital and effective ways to prevent feed contamination.Traditional detection methods can no longer meet the needs of massive,real-time,simple,and fast mycotoxin monitoring.Rapid detection methods based on advanced material and sensor technology are the future trend.In this review,we highlight recent progress of mycotoxin rapid detection strategies in feedstuffs and foods,especially for simultaneous multiplex mycotoxin determination.Immunoassays,biosensors,and the prominent roles of nanomaterials are introduced.The principles of different types of recognition and signal transduction are explained,and the merits and pitfalls of these methods are compared.Furthermore,limitations and challenges of existing rapid sensing strategies and perspectives of future research are discussed.

Occurrence of Fungi and Mycotoxins in Some Commercial Baby Foods in North Africa

Aflatoxins, are one of over 200 known mycotoxins produced by filamentous fungi. They are toxic, carcinogenic, and mutagenic and may be present in many raw and processed food commodities including cereals and milk used as ingredients in infant food products. Consumption of these commodities may pose a potential risk to the health of infants. The mycoflora of 84 samples of baby food commercially available in North Africa was determined. The feeds were screened for mycotoxins using thin layer chromatography (TLC) and further analyses were carried for the total aflatoxins by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using a Kobra cell to derivatise the aflatoxins (B1, G1, B2 and G2). Twenty-four fungal isolates were recovered from the samples consisting of 5 Aspergillus. spp, 13 Penicillum. spp, 5 Mucor. spp and an unidentified species Of these, 45.8% of the isolates were found to be mycotoxigenic however only 2.4% of the samples contained aflatoxins (19 to 70 μg·kg–1) and the remaining contained undetectable levels of the toxin. Storage at elevated relative humidity for 7 days showed a slight increase in the fungal counts but the toxin levels were unaffected. The results show the importance of periodic testing regime of ingredients used infant food formula for the presence of fungal contamination.

Overview on Technology of Degrading and Eliminating Mycotoxins in Agro-products and its Application

Based on the perspective of risk control,this article introduces related technology of eliminating mycotoxins in agricultural products and the current situation of application,including traditional physical,chemical and biological methods as well as the contemporary situation of relatively advanced technology at home and abroad,which provides reference for the policy-making and technology application of mycotoxin control in agro-products in China.

Determination of ETM, Histamine and Mycotoxins in Garba, a Traditional Ivoirian Meal

The methods of preparation, conservation and sale of Garba, the traditional Ivorian street meal, abundantly consumed in C&ocirc;te d’Ivoire, can be exposed to various infections resulting in the poisoning of consumers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the hygienic quality of Garba through the analysis and the determination of certain toxic chemicals. In three hundred (300) samples of Garba collected in four districts in Abidjan, toxic metals (cadmium, mercury, lead), biogenic amine (histamine) and mycotoxins (aflatoxins and ochratoxin A) were detected and quantified using official standardized methods. Different toxics analyzed were present at various levels in the Garba. The mercury, lead, cadmium and histamine levels in the Garba were respectively 0.19 mg/kg, 0.19 mg/kg, 0.03 mg/kg and 32.69 mg/kg. The detected mycotoxins included aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, G2 and ochratoxin A, with respective average proportions of 3.44 μg/kg, 1.90 μg/kg, 8.07 μg/kg, 0.56 μg/kg and 0.42 μg/kg. The mycotoxins levels in the Garba are higher than the recommended toxic levels, particularly the ones in aflatoxin B1 and G1. This suggests a sanitary risk associated with the consumption of this meal. Consequently, awareness campaigns and training of the Garba sellers in hygiene and a better regulation of this sector by the competent authorities are required.

Mycotoxins in Chinese Traditional Cured Meats: A Review

Chinese cured meats are popular in the world,which are not only meat products but also cultures in China.Fungi can grow on the surface of the traditional cured meats easily during the processing and storage.Some fungi contribute to the specific flavors,color and sensory characteristics of cured meats,while others produce mycotoxins like aflatoxins,ochratoxins,and deoxynivalenol,which will lead to cancer.Although the mycotoxins limits in food have been published by national standard in China,the limits in cured meats are still in blank.Therefore,it is reasonable to identify and reduce the mycotoxins in Chinese cured meats and meat products.This review analyzed the causes of mycotoxins,identification and control methods for Chinese cured meats.

Mycotoxins are conventional and novel risk biomarkers for hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignant disease with poor prognosis. To improve the clinical outcome, early diagnosis of HCC arising from nonviral agents and hepatitis virus is important. Among several etiological factors, mycotoxins defined as carcinogens by the International Agency for Research in Cancer (IARC) might be one of the critical risk factors for nonviral HCC. Aflatoxin B1 is the most well-known carcinogenic mycotoxin for HCC, but the role of the other types of mycotoxin remains unclear. Several studies have reported that a chromatographic separation technique based on high-performance liquid chromatography can successfully detect the concentration of mycotoxins in plasma. Recently, serum level of ochratoxin A (OTA), a widely distributed mycotoxin classified as Group 2B by IARC, was evaluated in HCC patients in Egypt. The results suggested that serum OTA levels might be a good biomarker for HCC. In this article, we review recent studies of OTA, and discuss its possible significance as a biomarker of HCC.

Mycotoxin binder improves growth rate in piglets associated with reduction of toll-like receptor-4 and increase of tight junction protein gene expression in gut mucosa

Background: Deoxynivalenol(DON) is a mycotoxin produced by Fusarium species in the field, commonly found in cereal grains, which negatively affects performances and health of animals. Mycotoxin binders are supposed to reduce the toxicity of mycotoxins.Method: The effect of a mycotoxin binder(containing acid-activated bentonite, clinoptilolite, yeast cell walls and organic acids) on growth performance and gut health was studied. Hundred and twenty weaning piglets were allocated to 4 treatments, with 5 pens of 6 piglets each, arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial design: control diet; control diet with 1 kg/t binder; control diet with DON; and control diet with DON and 1 kg/t binder. From d0–14,the diet of DON-challenged groups was artificially contaminated with a mixture of DON(2.6 mg/kg), 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol(0.1 mg/kg) and 15-acetyl-deoxynivalenol(0.3 mg/kg), after which the total contamination level was reduced to 1 mg/kg, until d37. On d14, one pig from each pen was euthanized and distal small intestinal mucosa samples were collected for the assessment of intestinal permeability, and gene expression of tight junction proteins, toll-like receptor 4, inflammatory cytokines and intestinal alkaline phosphatase.Results: After 37 d, there were no differences in growth performance between control and DON-challenged groups(P > 0.05). Nevertheless, groups that received diets with binder had a significantly higher average daily gain(ADG) and average daily feed intake(ADFI) for the first 14 d as well as for the whole period, compared to groups without binder(P ≤ 0.05). Groups with binder in the diet also exhibited lower expression of toll-like receptor 4 in distal small intestinal mucosa at d14, compared to groups without binder(P ≤ 0.05). Interestingly, comparing the two DON treatments, piglets fed DON and binder had significantly higher ADFI and ADG compared to those with only DON for the first 14-d(P ≤ 0.05). Addition of binder to DON contaminated diets, also down-regulated the gene expression of toll-like receptor 4(P ≤ 0.05) and increased m RNA level zona occludens 1(P ≤ 0.10) as compared to DON.Conclusions: The present data provide evidence that the binder improves growth rate in piglets associated with reduction of toll-like receptor-4 and increase of tight junction protein gene expression. However, the current study does not allow to assess whether the effects of the binder are mediated by alterations in the toxicokinetics of the mycotoxin.

Advances on Plant Pathogenic Mycotoxin Binding Proteins

Toxin-binding protein is one of the key subjects in plant pathogenic mycotoxin research. In this paper, new advances in toxin-binding proteins of 10 kinds of plant pathogenic mycotoxins belonging to Helminthosporium ,Alternaria ,Fusicoccum ,Verticillium were reviewed, especially the techniques and methods of toxin-binding proteins of HS-toxin, HV-toxin, HMT-toxin, HC-toxin. It was proposed that the isotope-labeling technique and immunological chemistry technique should be combined together in research of toxin-binding protein, which will be significant to study the molecular recognition mechanism between host and pathogenic fungus.

The Carry-Over of Mycotoxins in Products of Animal Origin with Special Regard to Its Implications for the European Food Safety Legislation

At present, carry-over research in mycotoxins experiences a change in focus. We reviewed the state-of-art knowledge regarding carry-over in aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, Fusarium toxins, patulin, ergot and citrinin. The common cooccurrence of mycotoxins demands for employment of multi-toxin analysis and poses a new challenge in reliable health hazard assessment. Synergies in adverse mycotoxin effects call for a revision of various guidance levels in feed. We found a lack of risk assessment regarding carry-over of rare mycotoxins and metabolites usually considered negligible.

MicroRNA regulates the toxicological mechanism of four mycotoxins in vivo and in vitro

Mycotoxins can cause body poisoning and induce carcinogenesis,often with a high mortality rate.Therefore,it is of great significance to seek new targets that indicate mycotoxin activity and to diagnose and intervene in mycotoxin-induced diseases in their early stages.MicroRNAs(miRNAs)are physiological regulators whose dysregulation is closely related to the development of diseases.They are thus important markers for the occurrence and development of diseases.In this review,consideration is given to the toxicological mechanisms associated with four major mycotoxins(ochratoxin A,aflatoxin B1,deoxynivalenol,and zearalenone).The roles that miRNAs play in these mechanisms and the interactions between them and their target genes are explained,and summarize the important role of histone modifications in their toxicity.As a result,the ways that miRNAs are regulated in the pathogenicity signaling pathways are revealed which highlights the roles played by miRNAs in preventing and controlling the harmful effects of the mycotoxins.It is hoped that this review will provide a theoretical basis for the prevention and control of the damage caused by these mycotoxins.

Impacts of weaning weights and mycotoxin challenges on jejunal mucosa-associated microbiota,intestinal and systemic health,and growth performance of nursery pigs

Background:This study aimed at investigating the effects of mycotoxin challenge on the growth and physiology of nursery pigs with different weaning weights.Results:At weaning,10 pigs were euthanized to collect jejunal mucosa and 90 pigs were assigned following a randomized complete block design in a 2×2 factorial arrangement of treatments with 3 pigs per pen.Factors were:weaning weight(light:body weight,BW<7.5 kg or heavy:BW>9.0 kg);and dietary mycotoxins(supplementation of 0.2 mg/kg aflatoxins,2.0 mg/kg deoxynivalenol).All diets had titanium dioxide as an external marker at 0.5%.Growth performance and fecal score were recorded until pigs achieved 20 kg BW(light pigs average BW=21.1 kg and heavy pigs average BW=20.5 kg).Pigs were sampled for blood,ileal digesta,jejunal tissue and mucosa at 20 kg BW.Data were analyzed using the mixed procedure of SAS.At weaning,light pigs had decreased(P<0.05)jejunal interleukin-8,increased(P<0.05)tumor necrosis factor-α,and increased(P<0.05)α-diversity indexes of jejunal mucosa-associated microbiota.At 20 kg of BW,light pigs had decreased(P<0.05)average daily gain(ADG),average daily feed intake(ADFI),and gain to feed ratio(G/F).Mycotoxins decreased(P<0.05)BW,ADG,ADFI,and G/F.Light pigs tended to have increased fecal score on d 0(P=0.080),d 10(P=0.069),and increased(P<0.05)fecal score at 20 kg.Mycotoxins decreased the apparent ileal digestibility of nitrogen(P<0.05).Light pigs had increased(P<0.05)intestinal malondialdehydes and interleukin 8.Mycotoxins tended to increase(P=0.060)intestinal tumor necrosis factor-α.Conclusions:Nursery pigs with light weaning weight were more susceptible to jejunal inflammation and had impaired intestinal health due to weaning stress,whereas mycotoxins diminished the health and growth of nursery pigs regardless of weaning weight.