Toxins
Aflatoxin B1, Gut Microbiota Dysbiosis, and the Intestinal Barrier: Implications for the Gut–Liver Axis and Extrahepatic Cancer Risk
Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a potent foodborne mycotoxin classified as a Group 1 human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and is widely recognized for its causal role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Beyond its well-established hepatotoxicity, increasing evidence indicates that AFB1 also disrupts intestinal homeostasis by impairing epithelial barrier integrity, reducing mucus production, altering gut microbial composition, and disturbing microbial metabolism. These changes promote inc …