Mycotoxin-containing diet causes oxidative stress in the mouse

PLoS One. 2013;8(3):e60374. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0060374. Epub 2013 Mar 28.

Abstract

Mycotoxins which mainly consist of Aflatoxin (AF), Zearalenone (ZEN) and Deoxynivalenol (DON) are commonly found in many food commodities. Although each component has been shown to cause liver toxicity and oxidative stress in several species, there is no evidence regarding the effect of naturally contained multiple mycotoxins on tissue toxicity and oxidative stress in vivo. In the present study, mycotoxins-contaminated maize (AF 597 µg/kg, ZEN 729 µg/kg, DON 3.1 mg/kg maize) was incorporated into the diet at three different doses (0, 5 and 20%) to feed the mice, and blood and tissue samples were collected to examine the oxidative stress related indexes. The results showed that the indexes of liver, kidney and spleen were all increased and the liver and kidney morphologies changed in the mycotoxin-treated mice. Also, the treatment resulted in the elevated glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) level in the serum and liver, indicating the presence of the oxidative stress. Moreover, the decrease of catalase (CAT) activity in the serum, liver and kidney as well as superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in the liver and kidney tissue further confirmed the occurrence of oxidative stress. In conclusion, our data indicate that the naturally contained mycotoxins are toxic in vivo and able to induce the oxidant stress in the mouse.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aflatoxins / adverse effects*
  • Alanine Transaminase / blood
  • Animals
  • Aspartate Aminotransferases / blood
  • Diet / adverse effects*
  • Female
  • Kidney / microbiology
  • Kidney / pathology
  • Liver / microbiology
  • Liver / pathology
  • Mice
  • Oxidative Stress*
  • Spleen / microbiology
  • Spleen / pathology
  • Trichothecenes / adverse effects*
  • Zea mays / microbiology*
  • Zearalenone / adverse effects*

Substances

  • Aflatoxins
  • Trichothecenes
  • Zearalenone
  • Aspartate Aminotransferases
  • Alanine Transaminase
  • deoxynivalenol

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (KYRC201202); and the Biogreen 21 Program (PJ0090802013, PJ0090982013), RDA, Republic of Korea. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.