Effect of atractylenolide Ⅲ on zearalenone-induced Snail1-mediated epithelial–mesenchymal transition in porcine intestinal epithelium

Background The intestinal epithelium performs essential physiological functions,such as nutrient absorption,and acts as a barrier to prevent the entry of harmful substances.Mycotoxins are prevalent contaminants found in ani-mal feed that exert harmful effects on the health of livestock.Zearalenone(ZEA)is produced by the Fusarium genus and induces gastrointestinal dysfunction and disrupts the health and immune system of animals.Here,we evaluated the molecular mechanisms that regulate the effects of ZEA on the porcine intestinal epithelium.Results Treatment of IPEC-J2 cells with ZEA decreased the expression of E-cadherin and increased the expression of Snai1 and Vimentin,which induced Snail1-mediated epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition(EMT).In addition,ZEA induces Snail-mediated EMT through the activation of TGF-βsignaling.The treatment of IPEC-J2 cells with atractyle-nolideⅢ,which were exposed to ZEA,alleviated EMT.Conclusions Our findings provide insights into the molecular mechanisms of ZEA toxicity in porcine intestinal epi-thelial cells and ways to mitigate it.

27-Hydroxycholesterol/liver X receptor/apolipoprotein E mediates zearalenone-induced intestinal immunosuppression:A key target potentially linking zearalenone and cancer

Zearalenone(ZEN)is a mycotoxin that extensively contaminates food and feed,posing a significant threat to public health.However,the mechanisms behind ZEN-induced intestinal immunotoxicity remain unclear.In this study,Sprague-Dawley(SD)rats were exposed to ZEN at a dosage of 5 mg/kg/day b.w.for a duration of 14 days.The results demonstrated that ZEN exposure led to notable pathological alterations and immunosuppression within the intestine.Furthermore,ZEN exposure caused a significant reduction in the levels of apolipoprotein E(ApoE)and liver X receptor(LXR)(P<0.05).Conversely,it upregulated the levels of myeloid-derived suppressor cells(MDSCs)markers(P<0.05)and decreased the presence of 27-hydroxycholesterol(27-HC)in the intestine(P<0.05).It was observed that ApoE or LXR agonists were able to mitigate the immunosuppressive effects induced by ZEN.Additionally,a bioinformatics analysis highlighted that the downregulation of ApoE might elevate the susceptibility to colorectal,breast,and lung cancers.These findings underscore the crucial role of the 27-HC/LXR/ApoE axis disruption in ZEN-induced MDSCs proliferation and subsequent inhibition of T lymphocyte activation within the rat intestine.Notably,ApoE may emerge as a pivotal target linking ZEN exposure to cancer development.

Single Cell Gel Electrophoresis Assay of Porcine Leydig Cell DNA Damage Induced by Zearalenone

[Objective] This study aimed to investigate the effect of zearalenone (ZEN) on DNA damage of porcine leydig cells. [Method] Porcine leydig cells cultured in vitro were collected to determine the median lethal dose (LD50) of ZEN with tetrazolium-based colorimetric assay (MTT assay). Comet assay was carried out to detect the DNA damage of porcine leydig cells exposed to at 0 (negative group), 1, 5, 10, 20, 40 μmol/L of ZEN. [Result] The percentage of cell tail was 16.67%, 34.00%, 40.67%, 52.00% and 64.67% under 0, 1, 5, 10 and 20 μmol/L of ZEN, respectively; the differences between the percentages of cell tail in various experimental groups had extremely significant statistical significance compared with the negative group (P<0.01), showing a significant dose-effect relationship; Tail length in various groups was 57.60±4.78, 57.75±6.25, 78.97±5.83, 100.50±6.94 and 146.83±12.31 μm, respectively; Tail DNA % in various groups was 21.29±2.25%, 22.24±2.43%, 31.21±6.27%, 37.45±4.33% and 60.68±9.83%, respectively; Tail length and Tail DNA % in experimental groups with ZEN concentration above 5 μmol/L showed significant differences (P<0.05) compared with the negative group, which showed an upward trend with the increase of ZEN concentration. [Conclusion] ZEN has genotoxic effect on porcine leydig cells, which can cause DNA damage, with a significant dose-effect relationship.

Occurrence of Aflatoxin B_(1),deoxynivalenol and zearalenone in feeds in China during 2018-2020

Background:The current study was conducted to investigate the individual and combined occurrence of aflatoxin B_(1)(AFB_(1)),deoxynivalenol(DON)and zearalenone(ZEN)in feeds from various Provinces of China during 2018 to 2020.A total of 3,507 feed samples,including 2,090 feed ingredients and 1,417 complete feed samples,were collected from different areas of China for mycotoxins analysis.Results:The individual contamination of AFB_(1),DON and ZEN were present in more than 81.9%,96.4% and 96.9% of feed samples,respectively,with average concentration ranges of AFB_(1) between 1.2-27.4μg/kg,DON between 458.0-1,925.4μg/kg and ZEN between 48.1-326.8μg/kg.Notably,0.9%,0.5% and 0.1% of feed ingredients,and 1.2-12.8%,0.9-2.9% and 0-8.9% of complete feeds for pigs,poultry and ruminants with AFB_(1),ZEN and DON that exceeded China’s safety standards,respectively.Moreover,more than 81.5%of feed ingredients and 95.7% of complete feeds were co-contaminated with various combinations of these mycotoxins.Conclusion:This study indicates that the feeds in China were universally contaminated with AFB_(1),DON and ZEN during the past 3 years.These findings highlight the significance of monitoring mycotoxin contaminant levels in the domestic animal feed,and the importance of carrying out feed administration and remediation strategies for mycotoxin control.

Alleviation of mycotoxin biodegradation agent on zearalenone and deoxynivalenol toxicosis in immature gilts

Background: The current study was carried out to evaluate the effects of mycotoxin biodegradation agent(MBA, composed of Bacillus subtilis ANSB01 G and Devosia sp. ANSB714) on relieving zearalenone(ZEA) and deoxynivalenol(DON) toxicosis in immature gilts.Methods: A total of forty pre-pubertal female gilts(61.42 ± 1.18 kg) were randomly allocated to four diet treatments: CO(positive control); MO(negative control, ZEA 596.86 μg/kg feed and DON 796 μg/kg feed);COA(CO + 2 g MBA/kg feed); MOA(MO + 2 g MBA/kg feed). Each treatment contained 10 replicates with 1 gilt per replicate. Gilts were housed in an environmentally controlled room with the partially slatted floor.Results: During the entire experimental period of 28 d, average daily gain(ADG) and average daily feed intake(ADFI)of gilts in MO group was significantly reduced compared with those in CO group. The vulva size of gilts was significantly higher in MO group than CO group. In addition, significant increases in the plasma levels of Ig A,Ig G, IL-8, IL-10 and PRL were determined in MO group compared with that in CO group. ZEA and DON in the diet upregulated apoptotic caspase-3 in ovaries and uteri, along with down-regulated the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 in ovaries. The supplementation of MBA into diets co-contaminated with ZEA and DON significantly increased ADG, decreased the vulva sizes, reduced the levels of Ig G, IL-8 and PRL in plasma, and regulated apoptosis in ovaries and uteri of gilts.Conclusions: The present results indicated that feeding diet contaminated with ZEA and DON simultaneously(596.86 μg/kg + 796 μg/kg) had detrimental effects on growth performance, plasma immune function and reproductive status of gilts. And MBA could reduce the negative impacts of these two toxins, believed as a promising feed additive for mitigating toxicosis of ZEA and DON at low levels in gilts.

Recent advances in detoxification strategies for zearalenone contamination in food and feed

Zearalenone(ZEN)is a widely distributed mycotoxin that frequently contaminates crops and animal feed.ZEN can cause serious health problems in livestock and humans alike,leading to great economic losses in the food industry and livestock farming.Therefore,approaches for efficient ZEN decontamination in food and feed are urgently needed.Traditional physical and chemical methods may decrease the nutritional quality of food and palatability of feed,or leading to residues and safety concerns.By contrast,biological methods for the removal or degradation of ZEN overcome these problems,especially for biological degradation by microorganisms and specific enzymes extracted from strains that can convert ZEN to less toxic or even completely harmless products.In this review,we comprehensively describe methods for ZEN degradation,focusing especially on biological strategies.Finally,emerging strategies and advice on remaining challenges in biodegradation research are also briefly discussed.

Time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay of zearalenone in cereals with a europium chelate as label

A competitive indirect time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay(TRFIA) was developed for detection of zearalenone(ZEN) in cereals,in which ZEN conjugated to bovine serum albumin(BSA) is used as solid-phase antigen.A competitive indirect TRFIA was conducted by simultaneously incubating ZEN in standard or extracted samples with anti-ZEN monoclonal antibody over ZEN-BSA coated plates,and then determining the bound ZEN monoclonal antibody with goat anti-mouse europium conjugate.Samples were extracted with methanol/water...

Isorhamnetin protects porcine oocytes from zearalenone-induced reproductive toxicity through the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway

Background Zearalenone(ZEA)widely exists in moldy grains,which seriously destroys the fertility of females.Isorhamnetin,a natural flavonoid,has extensive of pharmacological activities.However,the beneficial effect and the underlying molecular mechanism of isorhamnetin involvement in ZEA-induced porcine oocyte damage have not been investigated.Methods Oocytes were treated with different concentrations of ZEA(3,5,8 and 10μmol/L)and isorhamnetin(5,10,20 and 30μmol/L)for 44 h at 39℃.ZEA(5μmol/L)and isorhamnetin(10μmol/L)were selected for subsequent studies.Polar body exclusion rate,apoptosis rate and apoptosis related proteins,ROS levels and SOD2 protein,mitochondrial membrane potential and distribution,endoplasmic reticulum distribution and proteins expression,and PI3K,Akt and p-Akt proteins expression of oocytes were detected.In addition,the effect of PI3K antagonist(LY294002)on oocyte nuclear maturation and apoptosis were used to determine the involvement of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.Results Our findings showed that ZEA exposure damaged oocytes and isorhamnetin therapy restored the developmental capability of porcine oocytes.Isorhamnetin promoted polar body extrusion rate to rescue ZEA-induced meiotic arrest in porcine oocytes.Isorhamnetin alleviated ZEA-induced oxidative stress by stimulating SOD2 protein expression and inhibiting ROS production.Moreover,isorhamnetin enhanced normal mitochondrial distribution and mitochondrial membrane potential to prevent mitochondrial dysfunction induced by ZEA.Changing the expression of endoplasmic reticulum stress-related marker proteins(CHOP,GRP78)and the distribution rate of normal endoplasmic reticulum showed that isorhamnetin relieved ZEA-caused endoplasmic reticulum stress.Mechanistically,isorhamnetin decreased Bax/Bcl-2 protein expression and inhibited ZEA-induced apoptosis through PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.Conclusions Collectively,these results suggest that isorhamnetin protects oocytes from ZEA-caused damage through PI3K/Akt signaling pathway,which enhances meiotic maturation and mitochondrial function,and inhibits early apoptosis,oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum stress in porcine oocytes.Our study provides a new strategy for solving the reproductive toxicity induced by ZEA and treating woman infertility.

Modified halloysite nanotubes reduce the toxic effects of zearalenone in gestating sows on growth and muscle development of their offsprings

Background： Zearalenone （ZEN） is an estrogenic mycotoxin that is primarily produced by Fusarium fungi and has been proven to affect the reproductive capacity of many species to varying degrees. The present experiment was designed to study the maternal persistent effects of zearalenone toxicity in gestating sows on growth and muscle development of their offsprings, and the alleviation of zearalenone toxicity by modified halloysite nanotubes （MHNTs）. Methods： Eighteen sows were fed with one of three dietary treatments that included the following： （1） a control diet, （2） a contaminated grain diet （with 50 % moldy corn, 2.77 mg/kg ZEN）, and （3） a contaminated grain diet （with 50 % moldy corn, 2.76 mg/kg ZEN） ＋ 1% MHNTs. Each sow was exclusively fed its experimental diets from 35 to 70 d of gestation at a total of 2 kg daily. Muscle samples were collected from six piglets per treatment at birth, weaning and finishing. Results： The results showed that feeding the sows with the ZEN-contaminated diets from 35 to 70 d of gestation decreased the ADG, ADFI and G：F of their offsprings （P 〈 0.05）. The muscle fiber numbers in the newborn, weaning and growing-finishing pigs and the muscle fiber diameters at birth and weaning were also decreased by maternal ZEN exposure （P 〈 0.05）. The expressions of IGF-I, IGF-II, Myf-5 and Mstn at birth and IGF-II, Pax7, Myf-5 and MyoD1 at weaning were altered by feeding gestating sows with ZEN-contaminated diets （P 〈 0.05）. The MHNTs reduced most of the ZEN-induced toxic effects： the ADG and ADFI on growth performance, the muscle fiber numbers at weaning and finishing and the muscle fiber diameters at weaning （P 〈 0.05）. The expression levels of IGF-II and Mstn in newborn piglets and IGF-II and Myf-5 in weaning piglets were also prevented by adding 1% MHNTs （P 〈 0.05）. Conclusions： The present study demonstrated that the offsprings of sows fed with ZEN-contaminated diets from 35 to 70 day of gestation exhibited weakening on growth performance, physiological changes in their muscle fibers and alterations of mRNA expression in their muscle tissues, and also indicated that MHNTs prevented most of the ZEN- induced weakening in the muscle tissues.

Aflatoxin B1, zearalenone and deoxynivalenol in feed ingredients and complete feed from different Province in China

Background： The current study was carried out to provide a reference for monitory of aflatoxin B_1（AFB_1）,zearalenone（ZEN） and deoxynivalenol（DON） contamination in feed ingredients and complete feeds were collected from different Province in China from 2013 to 2015.Methods： A total of 443 feed ingredients, including 220 corn, 24 wheat, 24 domestic distillers dried grains with soluble（DDGS）, 55 bran, 20 wheat shorts and red dog, 37 imported DDGS, 34 corn germ meal and 29 soybean meal as well as 127 complete feeds including 25 pig complete feed（powder）, 90 pig complete feed（pellet）, six duck complete feed and six cattle complete feed were randomly collected from different Province in China,respectively, by high-performance chromatography in combined with UV or fluorescence analysis.Results： The incidence rates of AFB_1, ZEN and DON contamination of feed ingredients and complete feeds were80.8, 92.3 and 93.9 %, respectively. The percentage of positive samples for DON ranged from 66.7 to 100 %.Domestic DDGS and imported DDGS presented the most serious contamination AFB_1, ZEN and DON contamination levels of feeds ranged from 61.5 to 100 %, indicated that serious contamination over the studied 3-year period.Conclusion： The current data provide clear evidence that AFB_1, ZEN and DON contamination of feed ingredients and complete feeds in different Province in China is serious and differs over past 3-year. The use of corn, domestic DDGS, imported DDGS and corn germ meal, which may be contaminated with these three mycotoxins, as animal feed may triggered a health risk for animal. Feeds are most contaminated with DON followed by ZEN and AFB_1.Mycotoxins contamination in feed ingredients and complete feeds should be monitored routinely in China.

Investigation of the Biochemical and Histological Changes Induced by Zearalenone Mycotoxin on Liver in Male Mice and the Protective Role of Crude Venom Extracted from Jellyfish <i>Cassiopea Andromeda</i>

Zearalenone (ZEN) is a non steroidal estrogenic mycotoxin produced by Fusarium species of fungi which contaminate human foods and animal feeds worldwide. In this study hepatotoxicity of ZEN was evaluated in mice by oral adminis-tration of single and repeated doses of ZEN mycotoxin (2.7 mg/kg b.w.). The protective effect of crude venom extracted from jellyfish Cassiopea andromeda was also assessed. Mice were divided into four groups (N = 10). G1: receiving the toxin once and sacrificed 48 h later, G2: toxin administered twice for one week, G3: toxin administered twice a week for two weeks, G4: pretreated orally by a single dose of crude venom (1.78 mg/20g) 24 hours prior to administration of ZEN twice a week for two weeks. Each treated group had its corresponding control which received 1% DMSO sa-line.ZEN treatment significantly increased alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartateaminotrnsferase (AST) and alka-line phosphatase (ALP) activities after 48 hours and two weeks, while ALT was also significantly increased after one week. Tumor necrosis factoralpha (TNF-α) level was undetected in treated and control groups except the group treated with ZEN for one week. Alphafetoprotein (AFP) level was increased significantly only after two weeks. The activity of antioxidants was significantly increased in all groups. ZEN was also found to modify the serum proteins especially gamma-globulin which showed a significant decrease after 48 h and two weeks. Improvement in liver func-tion occurred in the group pretreated with the crude venom, and AFP and antioxidants returned to normal level, while TNF-α level was also undetected. Gamma globulin was significantly increased. The recovery observed in the group which was pretreated with crude venom may related to bradykinin content of this venom which exhibits a hepatoprotective effect. Histological changes in mouse liver coincided with biochemical changes. In conclusion, this study revealed that ZEN induced liver function and structural changes promising an approach for using a crude venom of jellyfish to enhance liver function.

Adsorption behavior of activated carbon for the elimination of zearalenone during bleaching process of corn oil

Zearalenone is a mycotoxin produced by Fusarium species.It frequently contaminates cereals used for foods or animal feeds,especially deposited in crude corn oil.Certain amounts of zearalenone can be removed during refining processes.In this study,we studied the influence of activated carbon and six industial absorbents(zeolite,diatomite,attapulgite,perlite,montmorillonite and activated clay)on the elimination of zearalenone during bleaching process of corn oil and explored the absorption mechanism of activated carbon.Results showed that activated carbon had an excellent adsorption capacity of zearalenone compared with the other six industrial adsorbents.For activated carbon,a high removal rate of zearalenone(exceeding 83%)from heavily zearalenone-polluted corn oil was achieved and the removal rate of zearalenone was kept above 60%after five regeneration cycles.The research on the adsorption mechanism of activated carbon showed that Freundlich adsorption isotherm model and pseudo-second-order kinetic model could well described the adsorption process.The thermodynamic study demonstrated that adsorption process was spontaneous and exothermic.Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy further revealed that activated carbon was effectively combined with zearalenone viaπ-πinteraction.Thus,activated carbon is an efficient and suitable adsorbent to control the levels of zearalenone during bleaching process of corn oil.This study not only proposed a systematic research scheme for the mechanism study of activated carbon for the elimination of zearalenone in corn oil,but also provided the scientific basis for developing effective methods to eliminate zearalenone in refined vegetable oils.

Review on microbial degradation of zearalenone and aflatoxins

The widespread contamination by mycotoxins,especially zearalenone and aflatoxins,in crops and their by-products has caused severe undesirable effects on human health and commercial trade.Researchers had screened out microorganisms from various media for degrading zearalenone and aflatoxins,and the results of a lot of studies showed that enzymes derived from microbial strains play a key role in degrading mycotoxins.Genetic engineering technology had been applied to improve the heterologously expressed degrading enzymes in several mature microbial hosts such as Escherichia coli and Pichia pastoris.The separated and purified recombinant enzyme had high activity in degrading mycotoxins in vitro.This review summarized the types of mycotoxins-degrading microorganisms and enzymes,and the progress on synthesis of heterologously expressed degrading enzymes by genetic engineering technology as well as related researches on improving the effect of degrading enzymes.We also prospected the future development in the study of using recombinant enzymes formed by genetic engineering technology to realize the simultaneous degradation of multiple mycotoxins in crops.

IDENTIFICATION OF ALTERNARIOL, ALTERNARIOL MONOMETHYL ETHER AND ZEARALENONE BY PARTICLE BEAM LC/MS

A method for simultaneously analyzing altemariol(AOH), altemariol monomethyl ether (AME) and zearalenone(ZEA) by particle beam LC/MS was established, LC separation was accompiished with a solvent system of methanol and water (80:20 v/v). The followed particle beam LC/MS analysis gave searchable spectra of AOH. AME and ZEA. Application of this technique to analysis of an alternaria culture confirmed the presence of AOH and AME.

Electrochemical Reduction of Zearalenone

Electrochemical reduction of zearalenone 1 and its derivatives was described. The ratio of a-and b-zearalanol 2 obtained by electrochemical reduction reached 8:1, much higher tan that obtained from catalytic hydrogenation. In addition to of the normal reduction products a rearranged product 5 was isolated. The reduction was supposed to be a electrocatalytical reaction.

Dual flow immunochromatographic assay for rapid and simultaneous quantitative detection of ochratoxin A and zearalenone in corn, wheat, and feed samples

A one-step dual flow immunochromatographic assay （DICGA）, based on a competitive format, was de- veloped for simultaneous quantification of ochratoxin A （OTA） and zearalenone （ZEN） in corn, wheat, and feed sam- ples. The limit of detection for OTA was 0.32 ng/ml with a detection range of 0.53-12.16 ng/ml, while for ZEN it was 0.58 ng/ml with a detection range of 1.06-39.72 ng/ml. The recovery rates in corn, wheat, and feed samples ranged from 77.3% to 106.3% with the coefficient of variation lower than 15%. Naturally contaminated corn, wheat, and feed samples were analyzed using both DICGA and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry （LC-MS/MS） and the correlation between the two methods was evaluated using a regression analysis. The DICGA method shows great potential for simple, rapid, sensitive, and cost-effective quantitative detection of OTA and ZEN in food safety control.

The insensitive mechanism of poultry to zearalenone:A review

Zearalenone(ZEN)is one of the most common contaminating mycotoxins and is mainly produced by Fusarium graminearum.ZEN and its metabolites can interfere with estrogen function and affect animals'reproductive ability.Pigs are most susceptible to ZEN,and ZEN is less harmful to poultry than to pigs.The exact mechanism for the difference in susceptibility remains unclear.In this review,we summarized some possible reasons for the relative insensitivity of poultry to ZEN,such as the lower total amount ofα-zearalenol(α-ZOL)and theα-ZOL-to-β-ZOL ratio which reduce the toxicity of ZEN to poultry.The faster hepatic and enteric circulation,and excretion capacity in poultry can excrete more ZEN and its metab-olites.There are other possible factors such as the transformation of intestinal microorganisms,differ-ences in hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases'activity,high estrogen levels,and low estrogen receptors affinity which can also cause poultry to be relatively insensitive to ZEN.In this review,we summarized the hazards,pollution status,metabolic pathways,and some measures to mitigate ZEN's harmfulness.Specifically,we discussed the possible mechanisms of low reproductive toxicity by ZEN in poultry.

Effects of purified zearalenone on selected immunological and histopathologic measurements of spleen in post-weanling gilts

The present study was aimed at investigating the adverse effects of dietary zearalenone(ZEA) on the lymphocyte proliferation rate(LPR), interleukin-2(IL-2), mRNA expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and histopathologic changes of spleen in post-weanling gilts. A total of 20 crossbred piglets(Yorkshire × Landrace × Duroc) with an initial BW of 10.36 ± 1.21 kg(21 d of age) were used in the study.Piglets were fed a basal diet with an addition of 0.1.1,2.0, or 3.2 mg/kg purified ZEA for 18 d ad libitum.The results showed that LPR and IL-2 production of spleen decreased linearly(P < 0.05) as dietary ZEA increased. Splenic mRNA expressions of interleukin-1β(IL-1β) and interleukin-6(IL-6) were linearly upregulated(P < 0.05) as dietary ZEA increased. On the contrary, linear down-regulation(P<0.05) of mRNA expression of interferon-γ(IFN-γ) was observed as dietary ZEA increased. Swelling splenocyte in1.1 mg/kg ZEA treatments, atrophy of white pulp and swelling of red pulp in 2.0 and 3.2 mg/kg ZEA treatments were observed. The cytoplasmic edema in 1.1 mg/kg ZEA treatments, significant chromatin deformation in 2.0 mg/kg ZEA treatment and phagocytosis in 3.2 mg/kg ZEA treatment were observed.Results suggested that dietary ZEA at 1.1 to 3.2 mg/kg can induce splenic damages and negatively affect immune function of spleen in post-weanling gilts.

Bacillus subtilis ANSB01G culture alleviates oxidative stress and cell apoptosis induced by dietary zearalenone in first-parity gestation sows

This study was conducted to evaluate the alleviation of Bacillus subtilis ANSB01G culture as zearalenone(ZEA)biodegradation agent on oxidative stress,cell apoptosis and fecal ZEA residue in the first parity gestation sows during the gestation.A total of 80 first-parity gilts(Yorkshire×Landrace)were randomly allocated to 4 dietary treatments with 20 replications per treatment and one gilt per replicate.The dietary treatments were as follows:CO(positive control);MO(negative control,ZEA level at 246μg/kg diet);COA(CO+B.subtilis ANSB01G culture with 2×10^9 CFU/kg diet);MOA(MO+ZEA level at 260μg/kg diet+B.subtilis ANSB01G culture with 2×10^9 CFU/kg diet).The experiment lasted for the whole gestation period of sows.Results showed that feeding the diet naturally contaminated with low-dose ZEA caused an increase of cell apoptosis in organ and the residual ZEA in feces as well as a decrease of antioxidant function in serum.The addition of B.subtilis ANSB01G culture in the diets can effectively alleviate the status of oxidative stress and cell apoptosis induced by ZEA in diets of gestation sows,as well as decrease the content of residual ZEA in feces.

Effects of purified zearalenone on selected immunological measurements of blood in post-weaning gilts

Zearalenone(ZEA), an estrogenic mycotoxin, is produced mainly by Fusarium fungi. Previous studies have indicated that acute ZEA exposure induced various damages in different species; however, its transparent hematotoxicity in female piglets at dietary levels of 1.1 to 3.2 mg/kg has not been shown. The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary ZEA(1.1—3.2 mg/kg) on hematology, T lymphocyte subset, immunoglobulin, antibody titer, lymphocyte proliferation rate(LPR), and interleukin-2(IL-2) in peripheral blood of post-weaning gilts. A total of 20 female piglets(Landrace × Yorkshire × Duroc),weaned at 42 d with an average body weight of 10.36 ± 1.21 kg were used in the study. Female piglets were kept in a temperature controlled room, divided into four treatments, and fed a diet based on corn-soybean meal-fishmeal-whey, with an addition of 0, 1.1, 2.0, or3.2 mg/kg purified ZEA for 18 d ad libitum. Feed intake and refusal were measured daily and individual pigs were weighed weekly. Blood and serum samples were collected for selected immunological measurements. Female piglets fed different levels of dietary ZEA grew similarly with no difference in feed intake. Hematological values including leukocytes, platelets, lymphocytes, hematocrit, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin(MCH) decreased linearly(P < 0.05) as dietary ZEA increased. Female piglets fed diets containing 2.0 mg/kg ZEA or greater showed significantly decreased CD4+CD8+, CD4+, and CD4+/CD8^+ in comparison to the control(P < 0.05), whereas CD8^+ was significantly increased(P = 0.026) in the gilts which were fed the diet containing 3.2 mg/kg ZEA. Serum immunoglobulin G(IgG) and the antibody titer on d 18 were reduced linearly as dietary ZEA levels increased(P < 0.001). Linear decrease in LPR was observed(P < 0.05). Female piglets fed diets containing 2.0 mg/kg ZEA or more showed significantly decreased IL-2 in comparison to the control(P < 0.05). The results suggested that dietary ZEA at the levels of 1.1 to 3.2 mg/kg can induce different degrees of hematotoxicity and negatively affect immune function in female piglets.