Toxins

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26 pages, 1314 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effects of Mixed Fusarium Mycotoxins at EU-Permitted Feed Levels on Weaned Piglets’ Tissue Lipids

by Omeralfaroug Ali, Miklós Mézes, Krisztián Balogh, Melinda Kovács and András Szabó

Toxins 2021, 13(7), 444; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins13070444 - 27 Jun 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2725

At exactly the individual permitted EU-tolerance dietary limits, fumonisins (FB: 5 mg/kg diet) and mixed fusariotoxins (DZ: 0.9 mg deoxynivalenol + 0.1 mg zearalenone/kg diet, and FDZ: 5 mg fumonisins + 0.9 mg deoxynivalenol + 0.1 mg zearalenone/kg diet) were administered to piglets [...] Read more.

At exactly the individual permitted EU-tolerance dietary limits, fumonisins (FB: 5 mg/kg diet) and mixed fusariotoxins (DZ: 0.9 mg deoxynivalenol + 0.1 mg zearalenone/kg diet, and FDZ: 5 mg fumonisins + 0.9 mg deoxynivalenol + 0.1 mg zearalenone/kg diet) were administered to piglets (n = 6/group) for three weeks. Bodyweights of intoxicated piglets increased, while feed conversion ratios decreased. In FDZ, both the absolute and relative weight of the liver decreased. In the renal-cellular membrane, the most pronounced alterations were in FDZ treatment, followed by individual FB exposure. In both treatments, high proportions of C20:0 and C22:0 with low fatty acid (FA) unsaturation were found. In hepatocyte phospholipids, FDZ toxins exerted antagonistic interactions, and FB had the strongest increasing effect on FA monounsaturation. Among all investigated organs, the spleen lipids were the least responsive, in which FDZ expressed synergistic reactions on C20:0 (↑ FDZ vs. FB) and C22:0 (↓ FDZ vs. DZ). The antioxidant defense of the kidney was depleted (↓ glutathione concentration by FB-exposure). Blood plasma indicated renal injury (profound increase of urea and creatinine in FB vs. DZ and FDZ). FB strongly increased total-cholesterol and low density lipoprotein concentrations, whereas FDZ synergistically increased gamma-glutamyltransferase, alkaline-phosphatase, calcium and phosphorus levels. Summarized, individual and combined multiple fusariotoxins modified the membrane lipid profile and antioxidant defense of splanchnic organs, and serum biochemicals, without retarding growth in piglets. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Feedborne Mycotoxins on Animal Health)

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5 pages, 507 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Equations to Predict Growth Performance Changes by Dietary Deoxynivalenol in Pigs

by Jongkeon Kim, Jin Young Jeong, Jung Yeol Sung and Beob Gyun Kim

Toxins 2021, 13(5), 360; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins13050360 - 19 May 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2371

Abstract

The objectives of the present work were to assess the accuracy of previously published equations for predicting effects of deoxynivalenol (DON) on the growth performance changes of pigs and to update equations based on recently published data. A total of 59 data were [...] Read more.

The objectives of the present work were to assess the accuracy of previously published equations for predicting effects of deoxynivalenol (DON) on the growth performance changes of pigs and to update equations based on recently published data. A total of 59 data were employed for the validation of previously published equations. These data were used to update the equations. The REG and CORR procedures of SAS were used. In the present validation test, a linear bias was significant (p < 0.05), indicating that prediction errors were not consistent across the data ranges. The intercept for ΔFI (−7.75 ± 1.19, p < 0.01) representing a mean bias was less than 0, indicating that the predicted mean of ΔFI was greater than the measured mean of ΔFI. Dietary DON concentrations had negative correlations with ΔWG (r = −0.79; p < 0.01) and ΔFI (r = −0.71; p < 0.01). Updated prediction equations were: ΔWG = −5.93 × DON with r² = 0.77 and ΔFI = −4.42 × DON with r² = 0.68. In conclusion, the novel equations developed in this study might accurately predict effects of dietary DON on the performance changes of pigs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Feedborne Mycotoxins on Animal Health)

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17 pages, 2071 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of a Low Dose of T-2 Toxin on the Percentage of T and B Lymphocytes and Cytokine Secretion in the Porcine Ileal Wall

by Paweł Wojtacha, Wojciech Trybowski, Piotr Podlasz, Magdalena Żmigrodzka, Józef Tyburski, Magdalena Polak-Śliwińska, Ewa Jakimiuk, Tadeusz Bakuła, Mirosław Baranowski, Krystyna Żuk-Gołaszewska, Łukasz Zielonka and Kazimierz Obremski

Toxins 2021, 13(4), 277; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins13040277 - 13 Apr 2021

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2772

Abstract

Plant materials used in the production of pig feed are frequently contaminated with mycotoxins. T-2 toxin is a secondary metabolite of selected Fusarium species, and it can exert a harmful influence on living organisms. Most mycotoxins enter the body via the gastrointestinal tract, [...] Read more.

Plant materials used in the production of pig feed are frequently contaminated with mycotoxins. T-2 toxin is a secondary metabolite of selected Fusarium species, and it can exert a harmful influence on living organisms. Most mycotoxins enter the body via the gastrointestinal tract, and they can modulate the gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) function. However, little is known about the influence of low T-2 toxin doses on GALT. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of T-2 toxin administered at 50% of the lowest-observed-adverse-effect level (LOAEL) on the percentage of CD2+ T cells, CD4+ T helper cells, CD8+ cytotoxic T cells, CD4+CD8+ double-positive T cells, TCRγδ+ cells, CD5+CD8- B1 cells, and CD21+ B2 cells, and the secretion of proinflammatory (IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-12/23p40, IL-17A), anti-inflammatory, and regulatory (IL-4, IL-10, TGF-β) cytokines in the porcine ileal wall. The results of the study revealed that T-2 toxin disrupts the development of tolerance to food antigens by enhancing the secretion of proinflammatory and regulatory cytokines and decreasing the production of anti-inflammatory TGF-β. T-2 toxin triggered the cellular response, which was manifested by an increase in the percentage of CD8+ T cells and a decrease in the percentage of B2 and Tγδ lymphocytes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Feedborne Mycotoxins on Animal Health)

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17 pages, 3216 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A 65-Day Fumonisin B Exposure at High Dietary Levels Has Negligible Effects on the Testicular and Spermatological Parameters of Adult Rabbit Bucks

by András Szabó, Szabolcs Nagy, Omeralfaroug Ali, Zsolt Gerencsér, Miklós Mézes, Krisztián Milán Balogh, Tibor Bartók, Levente Horváth, Aziz Mouhanna and Melinda Kovács

Toxins 2021, 13(4), 237; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins13040237 - 25 Mar 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2242

Abstract

A 65-day study was undertaken to test the effects of two doses (10 and 20 mg/kg) of dietary fumonisin Bs (FB) on the rabbit male reproduction system. Body and testicular weight was not affected by the intoxication, neither the fatty acid composition of [...] Read more.

A 65-day study was undertaken to test the effects of two doses (10 and 20 mg/kg) of dietary fumonisin Bs (FB) on the rabbit male reproduction system. Body and testicular weight was not affected by the intoxication, neither the fatty acid composition of the testicular total phospholipids; the testis histological analysis failed to reveal any toxic effect. The FBs increased the testicular concentration and activity of reduced glutathione and glutathione peroxidase and decreased initial phase lipid peroxidation (conjugated dienes and trienes) in a dose dependent manner. Sperm morphology and chromatin condensation were monitored on Feulgen-stained smears. No significant differences were observed between the treatment groups and between sampling time points. The live cell ratio in the sperm (as assessed with flow cytometry) was not different among groups at any of the five sampling timepoints and was also identical within groups. Similarly, the spermatozoa membrane lipid profile was also identical in all three groups after the total intoxication period. In summary, it was demonstrated that FBs in an unrealistic and unjustified high dose still do not exert any drastic harmful effect on the leporine, male reproduction system, meanwhile slightly augmenting testicular antioxidant response. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Feedborne Mycotoxins on Animal Health)

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15 pages, 1361 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exposure Assessment of Multiple Mycotoxins and Cumulative Health Risk Assessment: A Biomonitoring-Based Study in the Yangtze River Delta, China

by Qingwen Huang, Keqiu Jiang, Zhanmin Tang, Kai Fan, Jiajia Meng, Dongxia Nie, Zhihui Zhao, Yongjiang Wu and Zheng Han

Toxins 2021, 13(2), 103; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins13020103 - 1 Feb 2021

Cited by 24 | Viewed by 2885

Abstract

The extensive exposure to multiple mycotoxins has been demonstrated in many countries; however, realistic assessments of the risks related to cumulative exposure are limited. This biomonitoring study was conducted to investigate exposure to 23 mycotoxins/metabolites and their determinants in 227 adults (aged 20–88 [...] Read more.

The extensive exposure to multiple mycotoxins has been demonstrated in many countries; however, realistic assessments of the risks related to cumulative exposure are limited. This biomonitoring study was conducted to investigate exposure to 23 mycotoxins/metabolites and their determinants in 227 adults (aged 20–88 years) in the Yangtze River Delta, China. Eight mycotoxins were detected in 110 urine samples, and multiple mycotoxins co-occurred in 51/227 (22.47%) of urine samples, with deoxynivalenol (DON), fumonisin B1 (FB1), and zearalenone (ZEN) being the most frequently occurring. For single mycotoxin risk assessment, FB1, ZEN, aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), and ochratoxin A (OTA) all showed potential adverse effects. However, for the 12 samples containing DON and ZEN, in which none had a hazard risk, the combination of both mycotoxins in two samples was considered to pose potential endocrine disrupting risks to humans by hazard index (HI) method. The combined margin of exposure (MOE_T) for AFB1 and FB1 could constitute a potential health concern, and AFB1 was the main contributor. Our approach provides a blueprint for evaluating the cumulative risks related to different types of mycotoxins and opens a new horizon for the accurate interpretation of epidemiological health outcomes related to multi-mycotoxin exposure. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Feedborne Mycotoxins on Animal Health)

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25 pages, 6073 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Single and Repeated Oral Doses of Ochratoxin A on the Lipid Peroxidation and Antioxidant Defense Systems in Mouse Kidneys

by Szilamér Ferenczi, Dániel Kuti, Mátyás Cserháti, Csilla Krifaton, Sándor Szoboszlay, József Kukolya, Zsuzsanna Szőke, Mihály Albert, Balázs Kriszt, Krisztina J. Kovács, Miklós Mézes and Krisztián Balogh

Toxins 2020, 12(11), 732; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins12110732 - 22 Nov 2020

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2794

Abstract

Ochratoxin-A (OTA) is a carcinogenic and nephrotoxic mycotoxin, which may cause health problems in humans and animals, and it is a contaminant in foods and feeds. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the effect of oral OTA exposure on the [...] Read more.

Ochratoxin-A (OTA) is a carcinogenic and nephrotoxic mycotoxin, which may cause health problems in humans and animals, and it is a contaminant in foods and feeds. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the effect of oral OTA exposure on the antioxidant defense and lipid peroxidation in the kidney. In vivo administration of OTA in CD1, male mice (1 or 10 mg/kg body weight in a single oral dose for 24 h and repeated daily oral dose for 72 h or repeated daily oral dose of 0.5 mg/kg bodyweight for 21 days) resulted in a significant elevation of OTA levels in blood plasma. Some histopathological alterations, transcriptional changes in the glutathione system, and oxidative stress response-related genes were also found. In the renal cortex, the activity of the glutathione-system-related enzymes and certain metabolites of the lipid peroxidation (conjugated dienes, trienes, and thiobarbituric reactive substances) also changed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Feedborne Mycotoxins on Animal Health)

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22 pages, 5556 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Zearalenone-Induced Interaction between PXR and Sp1 Increases Binding of Sp1 to a Promoter Site of the eNOS, Decreasing Its Transcription and NO Production in BAECs

by Hyeon-Ju Lee, Jung-Hyun Park, Se-Young Oh, Du-Hyong Cho, Suji Kim and Inho Jo

Toxins 2020, 12(6), 421; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins12060421 - 25 Jun 2020

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3360

Abstract

Zearalenone (ZEN) is a non-steroidal mycotoxin that has various toxicological impacts on mammalian health. Here, we found that ZEN significantly affected the production of nitric oxide (NO) and the expression of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) of bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs). A promoter [...] Read more.

Zearalenone (ZEN) is a non-steroidal mycotoxin that has various toxicological impacts on mammalian health. Here, we found that ZEN significantly affected the production of nitric oxide (NO) and the expression of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) of bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs). A promoter analysis using 5′-serially deleted human eNOS promoter revealed that the proximal region (−135 to +22) was responsible for ZEN-mediated reduction of the human eNOS promoter activity. This effect was reversed by mutation of two specificity protein 1 (Sp1) binding elements in the human eNOS promoter. A chromatin immunoprecipitation assay revealed that ZEN increased Sp1 binding to the bovine eNOS promoter region (−113 to −12), which is homologous to −135 to +22 of the human eNOS promoter region. We also found that ZEN promoted the binding of the pregnane X receptor (PXR) to Sp1 of the bovine eNOS, consequently decreasing eNOS expression. This reduction of eNOS could have contributed to the decreased acetylcholine-induced vessel relaxation upon ZEN treatment in our ex vivo study using mouse aortas. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that ZEN decreases eNOS expression by enhancing the binding of PXR-Sp1 to the eNOS promoter, thereby decreasing NO production and potentially causing vessel dysfunction. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Feedborne Mycotoxins on Animal Health)

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14 pages, 724 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Orally Administered Fumonisins Affect Porcine Red Cell Membrane Sodium Pump Activity and Lipid Profile without Apparent Oxidative Damage

by András Szabó, Omeralfaroug Ali, Katalin Lóki, Krisztián Balogh, Miklós Mézes, Tibor Bartók, Levente Horváth and Melinda Kovács

Toxins 2020, 12(5), 318; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins12050318 - 12 May 2020

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2912

Abstract

Weaned piglets (n = 3 × 6) were fed 0, 15 and 30 mg/kg diet fumonisin (FB₁, FB₂ and FB₃, i.e., FBs, a sphinganine analogue mycotoxin), from the age of 35 days for 21 days, to assess [...] Read more.

Weaned piglets (n = 3 × 6) were fed 0, 15 and 30 mg/kg diet fumonisin (FB₁, FB₂ and FB₃, i.e., FBs, a sphinganine analogue mycotoxin), from the age of 35 days for 21 days, to assess mycotoxin induced, dose-dependent changes in the red cells’ membrane. Ouabain sensitive Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase activity was determined from lysed red cell membranes, membrane fatty acid (FA) profile was analysed, as well as antioxidant and lipid peroxidation endpoints. Final body weight was higher in the 30 mg/kg group (vs. control), even besides identical cumulative feed intake. After 3 weeks, there was a difference between control and the 30 mg/kg group in red cell membrane sodium pump activity; this change was dose-dependent (sig.: 0.036; R² = 0.58). Membrane FA profile was strongly saturated with non-systematic inter-group differences; pooled data provided negative correlation with sodium pump activity (all individual membrane n6 FAs). Intracellular antioxidants (reduced glutathione and glutathione peroxidase) and lipid peroxidation indicators (conj. dienes, trienes and malondialdehyde) were non-responsive. We suppose a ceramide synthesis inhibitor (FB₁) effect exerted onto the cell membrane, proven to be toxin dose-dependent and increasing sodium pump activity, with only indirect FA compositional correlations and lack of lipid peroxidation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Feedborne Mycotoxins on Animal Health)

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