Deoxynivalenol Impairs Weight Gain and Affects Markers of Gut Health after Low-Dose, Short-Term Exposure of Growing Pigs.

Abstract

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is one of the major mycotoxins produced by Fusarium fungi, and exposure to this mycotoxin requires an assessment of the potential adverse effects, even at low toxin levels. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a short-term, low-dose DON exposure on various gut health parameters in pigs. Piglets received a commercial feed or the same feed contaminated with DON (0.9 mg/kg feed) for 10 days, and two hours after a DON bolus (0.28 mg/kg BW), weight gain was determined and samples of different segments of the intestine were collected. Even the selected low dose of DON in the diet negatively affected weight gain and induced histomorphological alterations in the duodenum and jejunum. The mRNA expression of different tight junction (TJ) proteins, especially occludin, of inflammatory markers, like interleukin-1 beta and interleukin-10 and the oxidative stress marker heme-oxigenase1, were affected along the intestine by low levels of DON in the diet. Taken together, our results indicate that even after low-level exposure to DON, which has been generally considered as acceptable in animal feeds, clinically-relevant changes are measurable in markers of gut health and integrity.

• Authors: Arash Alizadeh, Saskia Braber, Peyman Akbari, Johan Garssen, Johanna Fink-Gremmels
• Journal: Toxins (Toxins (Basel)) Vol. 7 Issue 6 Pg. 2071-95 (Jun 09 2015) ISSN: 2072-6651 [Electronic] Switzerland
• PMID: 26067367 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters
• Biomarkers
• Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit
• Interleukin-1beta
• Ki-67 Antigen
• RNA, Messenger
• Tight Junction Proteins
• Toll-Like Receptor 4
• Trichothecenes
• Interleukin-10
• Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing)
• Cyclooxygenase 1
• Caspase 3
• deoxynivalenol

Topics

• ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters (genetics)
• Animal Feed
• Animals
• Biomarkers (metabolism)
• Caspase 3 (genetics)
• Cyclooxygenase 1 (genetics)
• Female
• Food Contamination
• Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing) (genetics)
• Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit (genetics)
• Interleukin-10 (genetics)
• Interleukin-1beta (genetics)
• Intestinal Mucosa (metabolism)
• Intestines (drug effects, pathology)
• Ki-67 Antigen (genetics)
• Male
• RNA, Messenger (metabolism)
• Swine (growth & development, metabolism)
• Tight Junction Proteins (genetics)
• Toll-Like Receptor 4 (genetics)
• Trichothecenes (blood, pharmacokinetics, toxicity)
• Weight Gain (drug effects)