Porcine β-defensin-2 alleviates AFB1-induced intestinal mucosal injury by inhibiting oxidative stress and apoptosis

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is the most toxic mycotoxin contaminant, which is widely present in crops and poses a major safety hazard to animal and human health. To alleviate the cytotoxic effects of AFB1 on the intestine, we tested the protective effects of porcine β-defensin-2 (pBD-2). Results demonstrated that pBD-2 inhibited oxidative stress induced by AFB1 via decreasing the levels of ROS and enhancing the expression of antioxidant factors SOD-2 and NQO-1. In addition, pBD-2 attenuated AFB1-induced intestinal porcine epithelial cell line-J2 (IPEC-J2) injury through blocking mitochondria-mediated apoptosis. In vivo, pBD-2 treatment restored the intestinal mucosal structure and reduced the expression levels of apoptosis factors caspase-3 and Bax/Bcl-2. In conclusion, these results indicated that pBD-2 can alleviate AFB1-induced intestinal mucosal injury by inhibiting oxidative stress and mitochondria-mediated apoptosis. This study provides an effective strategy in developing pBD-2 as green feed additive to prevent AFB1 damage to animals. •Effects of pBD-2 on AFB1-induced intestinal mucosal injury were evaluated.•pBD-2 inhibited oxidative stress on AFB1-induced intestinal mucosal injury.•pBD-2 inhibited apoptosis on AFB1-induced intestinal mucosal injury.•pBD-2 can restore AFB1-induced intestinal mucosal structural damage.