Mycobiology.  2008 Dec;36(4):255-259. 10.4489/MYCO.2008.36.4.255.

Aflatoxin-mediated Sperm and Blood Cell Abnormalities in Mice Fed with Contaminated Corn

• Fapohunda
• Ezekiel CN
• Alabi OA
• Omole A
• Chioma SO

• KMID: 1487355
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4489/MYCO.2008.36.4.255

Abstract

The effect of aflatoxin-contaminated corn on albino mice was investigated using the sperm morphology assay. Blood parameter levels including; total white blood cells (WBC), total red blood cells (RBC), packed cell volume (PCV), serum bilirubin (SB) and fasting blood sugar (FBS) were also determined in the tested mice. Test mice were exposed to aflatoxin-contaminated corn (contamination level of 100 ppb) for 1~4 weeks while aflatoxin-free corn and cyclophosphamide were used as negative and positive controls, respectively. Sperm cells showed varieties of morphological abnormality when assessed after 5 weeks. The percentage frequencies of the negative and positive controls were 18.8% and 48.87%, respectively, while the percentage abnormalities for the 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks exposures were 41.38%, 48.17%, 57.13% and 61.67%, respectively. PCV, WBC, total bilirubin and glucose level values of mice in all concentrations were higher and statistically significant as compared to the negative control values using Dunnett's test. Therefore, abnormal sperm cell induction is concentration-dependent such that continuous consumption of aflatoxin-contaminated corn is capable of negatively affecting spermatogenesis by inducing or increasing the frequency of morphologically abnormal sperm cells produced.

Keyword

Aflatoxin; Blood; Corn; Mice; Sperm

MeSH Terms

Aflatoxins
Animals
Bilirubin
Blood Cells
Blood Glucose
Cell Size
Cyclophosphamide
Erythrocytes
Fasting
Glucose
Leukocytes
Mice
Spermatogenesis
Spermatozoa
Zea mays
Aflatoxins
Bilirubin
Blood Glucose
Cyclophosphamide
Glucose