J Vet Sci.  2008 Mar;9(1):39-44. 10.4142/jvs.2008.9.1.39.

The combination of deoxynivalenol and zearalenone at permitted feed concentrations causes serious physiological effects in young pigs

• Chen F
• Ma Y
• Xue C
• Ma J
• Xie Q
• Wang G
• Bi Y
• Cao Y

• KMID: 1102952
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4142/jvs.2008.9.1.39

Abstract

This study was to investigate the effects of the combination of deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZON) on pigs. Twenty-four weaning piglets were divided into a control group fed a diet free of mycotoxins and a toxin group fed a diet containing 1 mg/kg DON and 250 microgram/kg ZON. The results showed that supplementation of DON and ZON in diets had extensive effects on pigs. More specifically, DON and ZON caused levels of total protein, albumin, and globulin in sera to decrease (p < 0.05) by 14.5%, 6.5% and 11.3%, respectively, and at the same time increased (p < 0.05) the serum enzyme activities of gamma-glutamyltransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase by 72.0%, 32.6% and 36.6%, respectively. In addition, DON and ZON decreased (p < 0.05) the level of anticlassical swine fever antibody titers by 14.8%. Real-time PCR showed that DON and ZON caused the mRNA expression levels of IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, IL-2, to decrease (p < 0.05) by 36.0%, 29.0% and 35.4%, respectively. Histopathological studies demonstrated that DON and ZON caused abnormalities in the liver, spleen, lymph nodes, uterus, and kidney. The concentrations of DON and ZON used in this study are in line with the published critical values permitted by BML. Our study clearly put the standard and adequacy of safety measures for these toxins into question. The authors suggest that with the increasing availability of cellular and molecular technologies, it is time to revisit the safety standards for toxins in feeds so as to make feeds safer, providing consumers with safer products.

Keyword

deoxynivalenol; mycotoxins; physiological effects; pigs; zearalenone

MeSH Terms

Animal Feed/*analysis
Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
Animals
Diet/veterinary
Drug Therapy, Combination
Female
Swine
Swine Diseases/blood/*chemically induced/*physiopathology
Trichothecenes/*administration & dosage/*adverse effects/pharmacology
Zearalenone/*administration & dosage/*adverse effects/pharmacology

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Quantification of regulatory and inflammatory cytokine mRNA levels in the spleen of pigs. Vertical bars represent the mean ± SE of these results for different treatment (n = 12).

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  Fig. 2 Normal liver (A), spleen (C), lymph node (E), kidney (G) and uterus (I) in the control group. The histopathological alterations of the pig liver (B), spleen (D), lymph node (F), kidney (H) and uterus (J) after 6 weeks of DON and ZON challenge. B; Blood vessel thickening and dilatation in liver, D; Lymphocyte necrosis and deletion of spleen, F; Local necrosis and lymphocyte depletion of lymph node, H; Glomerulus dilatation and the Bowman's capsule full of serum in kidney, J; Congestion or hyperemia of uterus. A, B, E, F, I and J, ×100. C, D, G and H ×400. H&E stain.

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