In vitro characterization of hepatic toxicity of Alternaria toxins
AbstractAlternaria mycotoxins are secondary fungal metabolites which can contaminate food and feed. They are produced byAlternaria species with alternariol (AOH), alternariol monomethyl ether (AME), tenuazonic acid (TeA), and tentoxin (TEN) as the main representatives forAlternaria mycotoxins in food. Once passing the intestinal barrier,Alternaria toxins can reach the liver to exert yet uncharacterized molecular effects. Therefore, hepatic in vitro systems were used to examine selectedAlternaria mycotoxins for their induction of metabolism-dependent cytotoxicity, phosphorylation of the histone H2AX as a surrogate marker fo...
Source: Mycotoxin Research - December 14, 2018 Category: Toxicology Source Type: research
Mycotoxins in poultry feed and feed ingredients in Nigeria
AbstractMycotoxins are toxic secondary fungal metabolites that can negatively affect animal productivity when ingested through feed. In order to assess mycotoxin contamination of poultry feed and feed ingredients vis-a-vis source tracking of feed contamination in Nigeria, 102 samples of feed (n = 30) and feed ingredients (n = 72) were collected from in-house mills of poultry farms across 12 states of Nigeria and analyzed for multiple mycotoxins using LC/MS-MS. One hundred and forty microbial metabolites were detected in the feed and feed ingredients. The most frequent mycotoxin in the feed was fumonisin B1, occurri...
Source: Mycotoxin Research - November 27, 2018 Category: Toxicology Source Type: research
Occurrence of ochratoxin A in typical salami produced in different regions of Italy
AbstractA total of 172 different salamis were purchased from farms and small salami factories located in four Italian regions (Piedmont, Veneto, Calabria, and Sicily) and analyzed for the presence of ochratoxin A (OTA). Analysis was performed by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to a fluorimetric detector (HPLC-FLD). The detection limit (LOD) for the method used was 0.05 μg/kg, while the quantitation limit (LOQ) was 0.20 μg/kg; the average recovery rate was 89.1%. OTA was detected in 22 salamis, and 3 samples exceeded the Italian guidance value for OTA in pork meat (1 μg/kg). In particular, what emerges...
Source: Mycotoxin Research - November 20, 2018 Category: Toxicology Source Type: research
Interaction of the mycotoxin metabolite dihydrocitrinone with serum albumin
In this study, we aimed to investigate the interaction of DHC with albumin, employing fluorescence spectroscopy, circular dichroism, and molecular modeling studies. Furthermore, species differences and thermodynamics of the interaction as well as the effects of albumin on the acute in vitro toxicity of DHC and CIT were also tested. Our main observations/conclusions are as follows: (1) Fluorescence signal of DHC is strongly enhanced by albumin. (2) Formation of DHC-albumin complexes is supported by both fluorescence spectroscopic and circular dichroism studies. (3) DHC forms similarly stable complexes with human albumin (K~...
Source: Mycotoxin Research - November 13, 2018 Category: Toxicology Source Type: research
Exposure of human lymphoma cells (U-937) to the action of a single mycotoxin as well as in mixtures with the potential protectors 24-epibrassinolide and selenium ions
AbstractThe progressive contamination of food products by mycotoxins such as zearalenone (ZEN) has prompted the search for specific substances that can act as protectors against an accumulation of these toxins. This paper discusses the effect of selenium ions and 24-epibrassinolide (EBR) as non-organic and organic compounds that preserve human lymphoblastic cells U-937 under ZEN stressogenic conditions. Based on measurements of cell viability and a DAPI test, concentrations of ZEN at 30 μmol/l, Se at 2.5 μmol/l and EBR at 0.005 μmol/l were selected. The addition of both protectors resulted in an increase in the viab...
Source: Mycotoxin Research - November 8, 2018 Category: Toxicology Source Type: research
Fumonisin B 1 -induced oxidative stress triggers Nrf2-mediated antioxidant response in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells
AbstractFumonisin B1 (FB1), a causative agent for animal-related mycotoxicoses, has been implicated in human and animal cancer. FB1 induces oxidative stress but the related survival responses are not well established. Central to this response is the transcription factor, nuclear factor erythroid 2 p45 –related factor 2 (Nrf2). The effects of FB1 on Nrf2-related survival responses in human hepatoma (HepG2) cells were investigated. HepG2 cells were treated with 200 μmol/l FB1 (IC50–24 h). Cellular redox status was assessed via the quantification of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), lipid peroxidation, prot...
Source: Mycotoxin Research - November 8, 2018 Category: Toxicology Source Type: research
Immunochemical detection of mycotoxins in donkey milk
AbstractThe applicability of enzyme immunoassays (EIA) for aflatoxin M1 (AFM1), ochratoxin A (OTA) and zearalenone (ZEN) to analyse these toxins in donkey milk (Equus asinus) was studied. For AFM1 and OTA analysis, milk could be analysed by EIA without sample pretreatment. For ZEN, heat treatment at 78 °C for 30 min prior EIA analysis was required to avoid false positives. To include detection of phase II metabolites of ZEN, samples were additionally treated with glucuronidase/sulfatase for this EIA. Detection limits were 5 ng/kg (AFM1), 9 ng/kg (OTA) and 600 ng/kg (ZEN). All donkey milk samples were negative for a...
Source: Mycotoxin Research - October 20, 2018 Category: Toxicology Source Type: research
Occurrence of aflatoxins in rice and in cassava ( Manihot esculenta ) products (meal, bread) produced in Guyana
AbstractA survey was conducted on Guyana ’s main staple foods, rice, cassava meal and cassava bread to determine the presence and concentration of aflatoxins (AFs) using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection for concurrence. Aflatoxins are secondary metabol ites of the fungusAspergillus and can be a health risk to humans and animals. Results were compared with European Union Commission (EUC) maximum levels of total aflatoxins of 10 μg/kg. Various types of rice (paddy, steamed paddy, cargo rice, white rice and parboiled rice) were random...
Source: Mycotoxin Research - October 11, 2018 Category: Toxicology Source Type: research
Effect of atrazine on growth and production of AFB 1 in Aspergillus section Flavi strains isolated from maize soils
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different concentrations of atrazine on the lag phase prior to growth, the growth rate, and on production of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) ofAspergillus flavus andAspergillus parasiticus strains, on maize meal extract agar (MMEA) under different water activities (aW) and temperatures. A commercial formulation of atrazine was added to MMEA medium at 0, 5, 10, 50, or 100 mmol/l, adjusted to 0.98, 0.95, and 0.93aW, and incubated at 28 °C and 37 °C for 21 days. AFB1 was determined by HPLC after 7, 14, and 21 days of incubation. In the control treatments, a significant i...
Source: Mycotoxin Research - September 25, 2018 Category: Toxicology Source Type: research
Co-occurrence of mycotoxins in maize food and maize-based feed from small-scale farms in Brazil: a pilot study
AbstractA limited survey was conducted to assess the co-occurrence of aflatoxins (AF) B1, B2, G1, and G2; fumonisins (FB) B1 and B2; ochratoxin A (OTA); zearalenone (ZEN); and deoxynivalenol (DON) in maize food (N = 26) and animal feed (N = 45) collected from 21 small-scale farms from the states of São Paulo (SP) and Santa Catarina (SC), Brazil. Samples evaluated were maize meal and maize flour for human consumption available in the farm households, and maize-based feed intended for broiler chicks, laying hens, and dairy cows. Analyses of mycotoxins were performed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled...
Source: Mycotoxin Research - September 21, 2018 Category: Toxicology Source Type: research
A critical evaluation of health risk assessment of modified mycotoxins with a special focus on zearalenone
AbstractA comprehensive definition introducing the term “modified mycotoxins” to encompass all possible forms in which mycotoxins and their modifications can occur was recently proposed and has rapidly gained wide acceptance within the scientific community. It is becoming increasingly evident that exposure to such modified mycotoxins due to their pre sence in food and feed has the potential to pose a substantial additional risk to human and animal health. Zearalenone (ZEN) is a well-characterizedFusarium toxin. Considering the diversity of modified forms of ZEN occurring in food and feed, the toxicologically relevant e...
Source: Mycotoxin Research - September 13, 2018 Category: Toxicology Source Type: research
Aflatoxin M 1 in cow, sheep, and donkey milk produced in Sicily, Southern Italy
AbstractSamples (n = 485) of raw (n = 394) or heat-treated (n = 91) milk of three different species (cow,n = 170; sheep,n = 133; donkey,n = 84), collected 2013–2016 in Western Sicily (Southern Italy), were analyzed for aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Positive ELISA results were further analyzed by HPLC with fluorescence detection. Both methods had a detection limit for AFM1 in milk of 7 ng kg−1. ELISA yielded 12.9 and 5% positives in cows and sheep milk, respectively, all samples of donkey milk were negative. Levels of AFM1 were in most cases at 0.007 –<...
Source: Mycotoxin Research - September 13, 2018 Category: Toxicology Source Type: research
