Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) infected by Epichloë festucae var. lolii contains alkaloids that are responsible for toxicosis in several countries, but few cases are reported in Europe. Lolitrem B is generally the most abundant alkaloid and is recognized to be responsible for livestock staggers, whereas ergovaline is less frequently documented in perennial ryegrass. Lolitrem B and ergovaline were monitored over a three-year period in endophyte-infected perennial ryegrass 'Samson' sown in southern France. Alkaloid concentrations were strongly influenced by the stage of maturity of the plant; maximum concentrations were always measured at the fully ripe stage. Over the three years of analysis, variations in lolitrem B in the whole plant at the fully ripe stage were low (from 1296 to maximum 1871 μg/kg dry matter), whereas ergovaline varied considerably (from 526 to 2322 μg/kg dry matter), suggesting that abiotic factors play a key role in determining ergovaline levels in endophyte-infected perennial ryegrass.

Fusarium mycotoxins (FUS) occur frequently in poultry diets, and regulatory limits are laid down in several countries. However, the limits were established for exposure to a single mycotoxin, whereas multiple contamination is more realistic, and different studies have demonstrated that it is not possible to predict interactions between mycotoxins. The purpose of this study was thus to compare the toxic effect of deoxynivalenol (DON), fumonisins (FB) and zearalenone (ZON), alone and in combination on broiler chickens, at the maximum tolerated level established by the EU for poultry feed. Experimental corn-soybean diets incorporated ground cultured toxigenic Fusarium strains. One feed was formulated for chickens 0 to 10 days old and another for chickens 11 to 35 days old. The control diets were mycotoxin free, the DON diets contained 5 mg DON/kg, the FB diet contained 20 mg FB1 + FB2/kg, and the ZON diet contained 0.5mg ZON/kg. The DONFBZON diet contained 5, 20, and 0.5 mg/kg of DON, FB1 + FB2, and ZON, respectively. Diets were distributed ad libitum to 70 broilers (male Ross PM3) separated into five groups of 14 chickens each reared in individual cages from one to 35 days of age. On day 35, after a starvation period of 8 h, a blood sample was collected, and all the animals were killed and autopsied. No difference between groups that could be attributed to FUS was observed in performances, the relative weight of organs, biochemistry, histopathology, intestinal morphometry, variables of oxidative damage, and markers of testicle toxicity. A significant increase in sphinganine and in the sphinganine to sphingosine ratio was observed in broilers fed FB. Taken together, these results suggest that the regulatory guidelines established for single contamination of broiler chickens fed with DON, FB, and ZON can also be used in the case of multiple contamination with these toxins.

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The symbiotic association of var. (formerly named ) with perennial ryegrass () leads to the production of ergovaline (EV) and lolitrem B (LB) that are toxic for livestock. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of feeding endophyte-infected ryegrass (SE+) hay on 16 lactating ewes (BW 80 ± 10 kg) in comparison with endophyte-free ryegrass (SE-) hay to investigate the putative mechanisms of action of EV and LB and to evaluate their persistence in milk and animal tissues. The mean EV and LB concentrations in SE+ hay were 851 and 884 μg/kg DM, respectively, whereas these alkaloids were below the limit of detection in SE- hay. No effect of SE+ was observed on animal health and skin temperature whereas prolactin decreased and significant differences between hays were observed from d 7 to 28 of the study ( < 0.03) but had no effect on milk production. Hematocrit and biochemical analyses of plasma revealed no significant difference between SE+ and SE-, whereas cortisol concentration differed significantly on d 28 ( = 0.001). Measurement of oxidative damage and antioxidant enzyme activities in plasma, liver, and kidneys revealed a slight increase in some enzyme activities involved in defense against oxidative damage in the SE+ fed ewes. Slight variations in the activities of hepatic and kidney flavin monooxygenase enzymes were observed, whereas in the kidney, glutathione -transferase activity decreased significantly ( = 0.002) in the SE+ fed ewes, whereas uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase activity increased ( = 0.001). After 28 d of exposure of ewes to the SE+ hay, low EV and LB concentrations were measured in tissues. The highest concentration of EV was observed in the liver (0.68 μg/kg) whereas fat contained the highest concentration of LB (2.39 μg/kg). Both toxins were also identified at the trace level in milk.

Tall fescue (Lolium arundinaceum) infected by Epichloe coenophiala contains ergot alkaloids responsible for fescue toxicosis in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States, with only a few cases occurring in Europe. The detection of Epichloe in 166 L. arundinaceum collected in southern France revealed that 60% were infected, 51% being high ergovaline producers. The ergovaline level in endophyte-infected tall fescue Kentucky 31 was monitored during 3 years in various parts of the plant. Maturation of plants, recorded according to the BBCH scale, appeared to be the main factor for estimating the risk of toxicity. Ergovaline levels of ≥300 μg/kg dry matter were obtained at the end of spring, the beginning of autumn, and mid-winter. Positive correlation between ergovaline level and cumulative degree-d was observed, whereas rainfall had no effect. These results suggest that the lack of fescue toxicosis observed in France cannot be explained by the lack of ergovaline in tall fescue.

Dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) given in drinking water can induce colonic inflammation and produce colorectal tumors in rodents, although it is not directly genotoxic. The hypothesis that DSS can produce free radicals and induce oxidative DNA damage in colonic mucosa has been tested. In rats fed for 2 days with water containing 3% and 6% DSS, colonic inflammation manifestations were recorded and 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodGuo), a major biomarker of oxidative DNA damage, was assayed in colonic mucosa. As compared with control rats given pure water, inflammatory manifestations were seen in rats given DSS. At the same time, 8-oxodGuo levels in colonic mucosa were doubled (P < 0.001). These results suggest that formation of oxidative DNA damage in colonic mucosa depends on inflammation and maybe on the production of reactive oxygen species. This study shows that DSS can induce oxidative DNA damage within only 2 days, which could explain in part its carcinogenic properties.

Although provisional maximum tolerable daily intake and recommended guidelines have been established for fumonisins (FB) in food, few data are available concerning levels of FB in edible animal tissues. Such data are of particular interest in avian species that can tolerate relatively high levels of fumonisins in their feed. Also, even if multiple contamination of animal feed by toxins produced by Fusarium is very frequent, little is known about the consequences of multiple contamination for FB levels in tissues. The aim of this study was to analyze the concentrations of FB in the muscle and liver of chickens and turkeys fed with FB alone and with FB combined with deoxynivalenol (DON), and with zearalenone (ZEN). Experimental diets were formulated by incorporating ground cultured toxigenic Fusarium strains in corn-soybean based feeds. Control diets were free of mycotoxins, FB diets contained 20 mg FB1+FB2/kg, and FBDONZEN diets contained 20, 5, and 0.5 mg/kg of FB1+FB2, DON, and ZEN, respectively. Animals were reared in individual cages with free access to water and feed. The feed was distributed to male Ross chickens from the 1st to the 35th day of age and to male Grade Maker turkeys from the 55th to the 70th day of age. On the last day of the study, the birds were starved for eight hours, killed, and autopsied for tissues sampling. No sign of toxicity was observed. A UHPLC-MS/MS method with isotopic dilution and immunoaffinity clean-up of samples has been developed for analysis of FB in muscle (n = 8 per diet) and liver (n = 8 per diet). Only traces of FB that were below the LOQ of 0.25 µg/kg were found in most of the samples of animals fed with the control diets. Mean concentrations of FB1, FB2, and FB3 in muscle were 17.5, 3.39, and 1.26 µg/kg, respectively, in chickens, and 5.77, 1.52, and 0.54 µg/kg in turkeys, respectively. In the liver, the respective FB1, FB2, and FB3 concentrations were 44.7, 2.61, and 0.79 µg/kg in chickens, and 41.47, 4.23, and 1.41 µg/kg, in turkeys. Cumulated level of FB1+FB2+FB3 in the highly contaminated samples were above 60 and 100 µg/kg in muscle and liver, respectively. The concentrations of FB in the tissues of animals fed the FBDONZEN diet did not greatly differ from the concentrations measured in animals fed the diet containing only FB.

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