Growth performance, selected blood biochemical parameters and body weights of pre-pubertal gilts fed diets supplemented with different doses of zearalenone (ZEN)

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Zearalenone is a frequent contaminant of cereals and their by-products in regions with a temperate climate. This toxic molecule is produced naturally by Fusarium fungi in crops. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of low zearalenone doses (LOAEL, NOAEL and MABEL) on the intestinal microbiome of gilts on different days of exposure (days 7, 21 and 42). Intestinal contents were sampled from the duodenal cap, the third part of the duodenum, jejunum, caecum and the descending colon. The experiment was performed on 60 clinically healthy gilts with average BW of 14.5 ± 2 kg, divided into three experimental groups and a control group. Group ZEN5 animals were orally administered ZEN at 5 μg /kg BW, group ZEN10—10 μg ZEN/kg BW and group ZEN15—15 µg ZEN/kg BW. Five gilts from every group were euthanized on analytical dates 1, 2 and 3. Differences in the log values of microbial counts, mainly Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis, were observed between the proximal and distal segments of the intestinal tract on different analytical dates as well as in the entire intestinal tract. Zearalenone affected the colony counts of intestinal microbiota rather than microbiome diversity, and its effect was greatest in groups ZEN10 and ZEN15. Microbial colony counts were similar in groups ZEN5 and C. In the analysed mycobiome, ZEN exerted a stimulatory effect on the log values of yeast and mould counts in all intestinal segments, in particular in the colon, and the greatest increase was noted on the first analytical date.

“…The analysed feed did not contain mycotoxins, or its mycotoxin content was below the sensitivity of the method (VBS). The concentrations of modified mycotoxins were not analysed [5,6].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Time-Dependent Changes in the Intestinal Microbiome of Gilts Exposed to Low Zearalenone Doses

Cieplińska¹,

Gajęcka

Dąbrowski

et al. 2019

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“…However, changes in specific tissues or cells were frequently observed in analyses of selected biochemical parameters in samples collected from the same animals and in those animals’ growth performance. The results of these analyses were published in a different paper [ 38 ].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Genotoxicity of Caecal Water in Gilts Exposed to Low Doses of Zearalenone

Cieplińska¹,

Gajęcka

Nowak

et al. 2018

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Zearalenone is a toxic low-molecular-weight molecule that is naturally produced by moulds on crops as a secondary metabolite. The aim of this study was to determine the genotoxicity of caecal water collected successively from the caecal contents of gilts exposed to low doses (LOAEL, NOAEL, and MABEL) of zearalenone. The experiment was performed on 60 clinically healthy gilts with average BW of 14.5 ± 2 kg, divided into three experimental groups and a control group. Group ZEN5 were orally administered ZEN at 5 μg/kg BW, group ZEN10—10 μg ZEN/kg BW and group ZEN15—15 µg ZEN/kg BW. Five gilts from every group were euthanized on analytical dates 1, 2, and 3. Caecal water samples for in vitro analysis were collected from the ileocaecal region. The genotoxicity of caecal water was noted, particularly after date 1 in groups ZEN10 and ZEN15 with a decreasing trend. Electrophoresis revealed the presence of numerous comets without tails in groups C and ZEN5 and fewer comets with clearly expressed tails in groups ZEN10 and ZEN15. The distribution of LLC-PK1 cells ranged from 15% to 20% in groups C and ZEN5, and from 30% to 60% in groups ZEN10 and ZEN15. The analysis of caecal water genotoxicity during exposure to very low doses of ZEN revealed the presence of a counter response and a compensatory effect in gilts.

“…The effect of ZEN on the systemic levels and local signaling of adipokines merits further investigation not only in castrated males, but also in pre-pubertal females and adults from both sexes, since other known effects of ZEN suggest modulation of energy balance. Indeed, the anabolic effects of ZEN are well known and can disturb glucose levels in vivo in exposed pre-pubertal gilts [2,64,65]. The importance of these findings is the possible connection between these endocrine-disturbing effects and the development of metabolic diseases [66], a link that has been poorly investigated in the case of ZEN.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Acute Exposure to Zearalenone Disturbs Intestinal Homeostasis by Modulating the Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway

Lahjouji

Bertaccini

Neves

et al. 2020

The mycotoxin zearalenone (ZEN), which frequently contaminates cereal-based human food and animal feed, is known to have an estrogenic effect. The biological response associated with exposure to ZEN has rarely been reported in organs other than the reproductive system. In the intestine, several studies suggested that ZEN might stimulate molecular changes related to the activation of early carcinogenesis, but the molecular mechanisms behind these events are not yet known. In this study, we investigated gene expression and changes in protein abundance induced by acute exposure to ZEN in the jejunum of castrated male pigs using an explant model. Our results indicate that ZEN induces the accumulation of ERα but not ERβ, modulates Wnt/β-catenin and TGF-β signaling pathways, and induces molecular changes linked with energy sensing and the antimicrobial activity without inducing inflammation. Our results confirm that the intestine is a target for ZEN, inducing changes that promote cellular proliferation and could contribute to the onset of intestinal pathologies. Key Contribution:The consequences of the estrogen-disrupting activity of ZEN in the small intestine were investigated. Our results indicate that acute exposure to ZEN promotes changes in signaling pathways that are important for the intestinal physiology such as estrogen, Wnt/β-catenin and TGF-β as well as changes in the expression of metabolic sensing molecules and antimicrobial proteins.ZEN is more dependent on the activation of the estrogen receptor (ER) signaling pathway, which has an anti-inflammatory [8,11,12], anti-apoptotic and proliferating effect [3,13,14]. ER is a ligand-activated transcriptional factor, and signaling is mainly activated directly upon DNA binding in the estrogen response elements located in target genes, but also indirectly (not involving DNA binding) through interaction with other signaling pathways [15][16][17]. There are two types of ERs, ERα and ERβ, whose roles differ. ERα is the main regulator of estrogen-dependent genes and its activation has proliferative effects. ERβ, when co-expressed with ERα, tends to restrain ERα activity and its activation inhibits cell proliferation [18]. ZEN can activate both ERs but is a partial agonist of ERβ and a full agonist of ERα [19]. Consequently, the biological response to exposure to ZEN varies depending on the tissue-specific ratio of the ER α vs. β, as well as on the density of these receptors [20]. In the intestine, the presence of each ER is distributed differently along the crypt-villus axis, ERα being more abundant in the crypt (where cell proliferation occurs) while ERβ is more abundant in the villi (composed of differentiated enterocytes) [21,22]. Estrogen signaling interacts with other pathways that are important for intestinal homeostasis and its disruption seems to relate to the development of chronic intestinal diseases and cancer [23][24][25]. As the intestine is an estrogen-responding organ, it is important to understand the molecular effect of natural endocrine disruptors suc...