Melatonin alleviates Ochratoxin A-induced liver inflammation involved intestinal microbiota homeostasis and microbiota-independent manner

Melatonin (MEL) shows an anti-inflammatory effect and regulates intestinal microbiota communities in animals and humans; Ochratoxin A (OTA) induces liver inflammation through intestinal microbiota. However, it remains to know whether MEL alleviates the liver inflammation induced by OTA. In this study, MEL reversed various adverse effects induced by OTA. MEL recovered the swarming and motility of intestinal microbiota, decreased the accumulation of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), enhanced the tight junction proteins of jejunum and cecum segments; ultimately alleviated OTA-induced liver inflammation in ducks. However, it is worth noting that MEL still had positive effects on the OTA-exposed ducks after antibiotic treatment. These results suggest that both the maintenance of intestinal microbiota homeostasis and intestinal microbiota-independent manner involved the MEL anti-inflammatory function in OTA-induced liver inflammation. MEL represent a promising protective approach for OTA, even other mycotoxins.