Background and Aim: Unlike the already well-documented human serum proteome, there are still limitations regarding analyzing and interpreting the various physiological changes and disease states of the serum proteomes found in duck. Serum proteome in duck under the condition of mycotoxin contamination in feed has not yet been examined. This study aimed to introduce the characterization of the circulating proteomes in duck serum during exposure to aflatoxin B1 (AFB1).

Materials and Methods: Duck serum samples were collected from four experimental groups, gel-based mass spectrometry was then applied, and finally, 445 proteins were identified in pulled serum sample.

Results: Among these 445 proteins, 377 were present in at least one group from all. There were 35 proteins which were expressed when the duck was exposed to AFB1. The protein library that allows the identification of a large number of different proteins in duck serum will be enhanced by the addition of these peptide spectral data. It is noteworthy that chromodomain-helicase-DNA-binding protein 7 (CHD7) [Gallus gallus] was up-regulated in the group with the highest AFB1 contamination.

Conclusion: CHD7 protein might be somehow relative to aflatoxicosis in the duck that causes poor performance and economic loss. Moreover, other proteins present in duck serum were also added in the protein library.

Keywords: aflatoxin B1, duck, proteomics, serum.