Judit Fodor

Absorption, distribution and elimination of fumonisin B1 metabolites in weaned piglets

The absorption, distribution and elimination of fumonisin B1 (and B2) after oral administration of Fusarium verticillioides (MRC 826) fungal culture, mixed into the experimental feed for 10 days, was studied in weaned barrows. In order to determine the absorption of FB1 from the feed marked by chromium oxide, a special T-cannula was implanted into the distal part of pigs’ ileum. During the feeding of toxin-containing diet (45 mg FB1 kg−1) and until the tenth day after the end of treatment, the total quantity of urine and faeces was collected and their toxin content analysed. At the end of the trial, samples of lung, liver, kidney, brain, muscle, and fat were also collected and their fumonisin content analysed by LC-MS. The fumonisins appeared to decrease the reduced glutathione content in blood plasma and red blood cell haemolysate, possibly associated with in vivo lipid peroxidation. From a data set of 80 individual data and the concentration and rate of C r and fumonisins (FB1, partially hydrolysed FB1 and aminopentol) in the chymus, it could be established that the accumulative absorption of fumonisin B1 was 3.9% ± 0.7%. In the chymus, the FB1 conversions into aminopentol and partially hydrolysed FB1 were 1.0 and 3.9%, respectively. The degree of metabolism in faeces was variable, although the main product was the partially hydrolysed form, with very small amounts of the aminopentol moiety being recovered. In the investigated tissues the FB1 conversion to aminopentol and partially hydrolysed FB1 was 30 and 20%, respectively.

Distribution and elimination of fumonisin analogues in weaned piglets after oral administration of Fusarium verticillioides fungal culture

The distribution and elimination of fumonisins after oral administration of 50 mg FB1, 20 mg FB2 and 5 mg FB3 per animal day–1 for 22 days was studied in weaned barrows. At the end of the trial, the lung, heart, liver, kidney, spleen, brain, serum, bile, muscle, fat, urine and faeces samples were collected and their content of fumonisins (FB1, FB2) determined by LC-MS. The highest FB1 concentrations were found in the liver (99.4 ± 37.5 ng g–1) and kidneys (30.6 ± 10.1 ng g–1), whilst the highest average amount of FB2 was in the liver (1.4 ± 2.3 ng g–1) and fat (2.6 ng g–1 ± 4.8) samples. Comparing the FB1/FB2 ratio in different organs (19/1), it was found that the ratio in the abdominal and subcutaneous fat samples (4/1) was markedly different from those in all other tissues, namely the relative proportion of FB2 was higher in latter cases. Of the total quantity of FB1, the 13% taken up during 5 days was excreted unchanged with the faeces and urine. On average, in the urine and faeces, FB1 was detected in nine- and 14-fold quantities, as compared with FB2.

In vitro microbial metabolism of fumonisin B1

There is a lack of information on the effect of swine caecal microbiota on fumonisin metabolism. In this in vitro study, the biotransformation of fumonisin B1 (FB1) by the gut microbiota of adult, healthy pigs was examined. Suspensions of caecal contents and McDougall buffer solution were incubated anaerobically with pure FB1 for 0, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h. After 48 h, the conversion of FB1 to partially hydrolysed FB1 (46%) was nearly equal to the percentage ratio of FB1, while by 72 h it was 49%. In vitro, the conversion of fumonisin B1 to aminopentol was less than 1%. The results show that the caecal microbiota are capable of transforming fumonisin B1 to the above metabolites. Further studies on FB1 metabolism in the small intestine are clearly justified.

Effects of ochratoxin a on some production traits, lipid peroxide and glutathione redox status of weaned piglets

The effect of feeding ochratoxin A (OTA) contaminated diet (379.6 and 338.1 microg/kg in starter and grower diets) on production traits, lipid peroxidation and some parameters of the glutathione redox system were investigated in weaned piglets over a seven-week period. Feed intake and feed conversion ratio (FCR) did not differ significantly, but in the first phase (0-28 days) the daily weight gain was significantly lower in the piglets fed the OTA-contaminated diet. Lipid peroxidation, as measured by the amount of malondialdehyde, glutathione content and glutathione peroxidase activity, did not change significantly in the blood plasma and red blood cell haemolysate in the OTA-loaded group, while malondialdehyde content increased significantly in the liver and markedly but not significantly in the kidney of piglets fed OTA-contaminated feed. Glutathione content did not differ significantly in the studied organs of the two groups while glutathione peroxidase activity of the OTA-loaded animals was significantly lower both in the liver and in the kidney. The results suggest that the use of feed-stuffs contaminated with low levels of OTA for seven weeks did not cause marked differences in the production traits or in lipid peroxidation and amount or activity of the glutathione redox system in the blood plasma, red blood cells and kidney, while significant changes occurred in the liver homogenate.

Effect of different dietary fumonisin B1 exposure on the toxin content of porcine tissues

Abstract The time and dose-dependent effect of fumonisin B1 (FB1) exposure on the tissue toxin concentrations was examined in 36 weaned pigs. Treated animals were fed an experimental diet supplemented with Fusarium verticillioides culture, leading to FB1 daily intake values of 50 mg/animal (n=10) in a 22 day treatment (T50), 100 mg/animal (n=7) for 5 days (T100s, short exposure) and 100 mg/animal (n=7) for 10 days (T100l, long exposure), respectively. For each experimental group, 4 control (C) animals were used. At the end of trial, the FB1 content of lung, liver, bile, kidney, brain, spleen, pancreas, heart, muscle and fat samples was determined by LC-MS. Pulmonary oedema developed in all piglets as a result of the toxin dose applied. Highest FB1 concentrations were found in the liver, kidney, lung and spleen, in all treatments. The muscle and adipose tissues (i.e. the meat) did not contain considerable amounts of fumonisin B1. In the organs of the animals fed 100 mg FB1 per day, significantly higher FB1 levels were measured. An exponential function was descriptive for the measured FB1 data of some organs. The FB1 content was found to be dependent on the average daily intake, except in case of the liver.