Deoxynivalenol-induced oxidative stress and Nrf2 translocation in maternal liver on gestation day 12.5 d and 18.5 d.

Deoxynivalenol (DON) contamination is indicated as a worldwide problem since it causes economic losses for the grain and is a potential threat to both animal and human health. This study concentrated on DON-induced oxidative damage and the accompanying nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) translocation during DON-induced maternal hepatotoxicity. The 0, 1.0 and 2.5 mg/kg/day of DON were used as doses for the experiment during gestation days. DON slightly increased the levels of ALT and AST in GD12.5 d instead of GD18.5 d. Oxidative stress and anti-oxidization system were both found to be activated in the experiment which marked by ROS, MDA and GSH increasing, especially on GD12.5 d. The levels of HO-1 were significantly increased by DON exposure at different two time points. Moreover, Nrf2 translocation appeared both in GD 12.5 d and GD 18.5 d. In conclusion, DON-induced ROS accumulation may cause maternal liver damage in the initial stages, but the related stimulation of Nrf2/HO-1 pathway improves the removal of ROS and decreases the level of oxidative stress thereby protecting the liver damage. Therefore, upregulating the Nrf2-dependent response is one of the potential methods that protects maternal liver from DON-induced oxidative damage.