Individual and combined effects of feed artificially contaminated with with fumonisin B1 and T-2 toxin in weaned rabbits

Abstract

Co-contamination of feed and feed raw materials with two or more mycotoxins is frequently reported, however, only a few studies have investigated the combined effects of low doses of multiple mycotoxins. In the present study the individual and combined effects of 10 mg/kg fumonisin B 1 and 2 mg/kg T-2 toxin (n=12/group) were investigated in weaned rabbits. Mycotoxin contaminated feed was produced by adding fungal cultures of Fusarium verticillioides and Fusarium sporotrichioides, and fed to 40 days old rabbits during 28 days. Feed intake and body weight were measured weekly, serum biochemistry and antioxidant parameters on day 0, 14 and 28, while histopathological examination and comet assay were performed at the end of the experiment. T-2 exposure both alone and in combination resulted in 15-18% less final body weight compared to the control and FB 1 treatment. There was a significant increase in the concentration of plasma total protein, albumin, fructosamine and creatinine in the group treated with FB 1 compared to the control. The liver and the kidney of most animals treated with T-2 toxin, FB 1 and their combination showed pathological changes, occurring more frequent in animals exposed to both toxins. T-2 resulted in depletion of lymphocytes in the spleen. FB 1 and T-2 exerted synergistic effect on the antioxidant/oxidative parameters after 2 weeks of exposure, manifesting in less glutathione and glutathione peroxidase, while more malondialdehyde was produced. Both toxins caused DNA damage in the lymphocytes, which was more pronounced in the group fed T-2 toxin and T-2 combined with FB 1 , without additive or synergistic effects.

Dose and Exposure Time-Dependent Renal and Hepatic Effects of Intraperitoneally Administered Fumonisin B1 in Rats

“…Tail intensity (raw data not shown) did not exceed 16% in any of the treatments, which is considered to be low genotoxicity. This can be attributed to the short exposure period and it is comparable to previous results ([ 45 ]; Szabó-Fodor et al, 2018, unpublished observations). To the best of our knowledge there are no studies on the genotoxic effect (DNA damage) of FB 1 on peripheral blood lymphocytes of rats.…”

Mycosorb A+® como adsorbente de micotoxinas en la dieta sobre la salud y la producción en cuyes

“…Los reportes indican que el 25 % de los cultivos alimentarios están contaminados con micotoxinas [50]; sin embargo, ese valor estaría subestimado, ya que de 60 a 80 % de los alimentos se encuentran contaminados por hongos en mayor o menor grado, por lo que los microorganismos Aspergillus, Penicillium y Fusarium, y sus micotoxinas (ocratoxina, deoxinivalenol, aflatoxinas, toxinas HT-2 y T-2, fumonisina y zearalenona), co-ocurren naturalmente en las diversos cultivos agrícolas y contaminan los alimentos destinados a los animales de granja, donde el ser humano forma parte del riesgo de contaminación por micotoxinas, con los efectos dañinos asociados para a su salud [22,57].…”

Mycotoxins in the food chain

“…The individual and combined effects of 10 mg/kg FB1 and 2 mg/kg T-2 toxin (n=12/group) mixed with fungal culture of Fusarium verticillioides and Fusarium sporotrichioides in feed between 40 and 70 days of age, i.e. for 28 days were investigated in weaned rabbits (Hafner et al, 2016). The T-2 exposure both alone and in combination resulted in 15-18% less final body weight compared to control and FB1 treatment.…”