Stem cell-induced hepatocytes (SC-iHeps) have been suggested as a valuable model for evaluating drug toxicology. Here, human-induced pluripotent stem cells (QIA7) and embryonic stem cells (WA01) were differentiated into hepatocytes, and the hepatotoxic effects of acetaminophen (AAP) and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) were compared with primary hepatocytes (p-Heps) and HepG2. In a cytotoxicity assay, the IC50 of SC-iHeps was similar to that in p-Heps and HepG2 in the AAP groups but different from that in p-Heps of the AFB1 groups. In a multi-parameter assay, phenotypic changes in mitochondrial membrane potential, calcium influx and oxidative stress were similar between QIA7-iHeps and p-Heps following AAP and AFB1 treatment but relatively low in WA01-iHeps and HepG2. Most hepatic functional markers (hepatocyte-specific genes, albumin/urea secretion, and the CYP450 enzyme activity) were decreased in a dose-dependent manner following AAP and AFB1 treatment in SC-iHeps and p-Heps but not in HepG2. Regarding CYP450 inhibition, the cell viability of SC-iHeps and p-Heps was increased by ketoconazole, a CYP3A4 inhibitor. Collectively, SC-iHeps and p-Heps showed similar cytotoxicity and hepatocyte functional effects for AAP and AFB1 compared with HepG2. Therefore, SC-iHeps have phenotypic characteristics and sensitivity to cytotoxic chemicals that are more similar to p-Heps than to HepG2 cells.

Monoclonal antibody (mAb, NVRQS-DON) against deoxynivalenol (DON) was prepared. DON-Ag coated enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and DON-Ab coated ELISA were prepared by coating the DON-BSA and DON mAb. Quantitative DON calculation ranged from 50 to 4,000 ng/mL for DON-Ab coated ELISA and from 25 to 500 ng/mL for DON-Ag coated ELISA. 50% of inhibitory concentration values of DON, HT-2, 15-acetyl-DON, and nivalenol were 23.44, 22,545, 5,518 and 5,976 ng/mL based on the DON-Ab coated ELISA. Cross-reactivity levels of the mAb to HT-2, 15-acetyl-DON, and nivalenol were 0.1, 0.42, and 0.40%. The intra- and interassay precision coefficient variation (CV) were both <10%. In the mAb-coated ELISA, mean DON recovery rates in animal feed (0 to 1,000 µg/kg) ranged from 68.34 to 95.49% (CV; 4.10 to 13.38%). DON in a buffer solution (250, 500 and 1,000 ng/mL) was isolated using 300 µg of NVRQS-DON and 3 mg of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs). The mean recovery rates of DON using this mAb-MNP system were 75.2, 96.9, and 88.1% in a buffer solution spiked with DON (250, 500, and 1,000 ng/mL). Conclusively we developed competitive ELISAs for detecting DON in animal feed and created a new tool for DON extraction using mAb-coupled MNPs.

To develop a new simple and simultaneous purification method for mycotoxins in feeds and grains, magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) conjugated with monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against mycotoxins were used to separate aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), zearalenone (ZEA) and deoxynivalenol (DON). For a single spike of each mycotoxin into the buffer solution (16% MeOH in PBS), mean recoveries were 93.1–95.0% for AFB1 (5–20 ng/mL spiked), 87.2–96.0% for ZEA (125–500 ng/mL spiked) and 75.2–96.9% for DON (250–1,000 ng/mL spiked) by HPLC and ELISA. Recoveries of AFB1 (20 ng/mL) and ZEA (500 ng/mL) simultaneously spiked into the buffer solution were 87.0 and 99.8%, respectively. Recovery rates of AFB1/DON and DON/ZEA spiked simultaneously were 86.2%/76.6% and 92.0%/86.7%, respectively, at concentrations of 20 ng/mL AFB1, 500 ng/mL ZEA, and 1,000 ng/mL DON. Recoveries using the novel mAb–MNP conjugated system in a buffer solution simultaneously spiked with AFB1, ZEA and DON were 82.5, 94.6 and 73.4%, respectively. Recoveries of DON in animal feed were 107.7–132.5% at concentrations of 250–1,000 ng/g spiked in feed. The immunoaffinity chromatography (IAC) clean-up method was compared with the purification method using novel mAb–MNP. After fortification of animal feed with AFB1 (5, 10 and 20 ng/g feed) and ZEA (125, 250 and 500 ng/g feed), AFB1 and ZEA were purified using both the methods. In the case of the novel mAb-MNP conjugated system, mean recoveries for AFB1 were 89.4, 73.1 and 88.3% at concentrations of 5, 10 and 20 ng/g feed, respectively. For ZEA, mean recoveries were 86.7, 85.9 and 79.1% at concentrations of 125, 250 and 500 ng/g, respectively. For IAC purification, recoveries were 42.9–45.1% for AFB1 and 96.8–103.2% for ZEA. In conclusion, the present purification method using monoclonal antibodies conjugated to MNPs can be used for simple and simultaneous purification of mycotoxins from feed and maize.