Aflatoxin B1-induced DNA damage in Labeo rohita: protective effect of an antioxidant supplement, Amrita Bindu

An Eight-Year Survey on Aflatoxin B1 Indicates High Feed Safety in Animal Feed and Forages in Northern Italy

Aflatoxins (AFs) remain the main concern for the agricultural and dairy industries due to their effects on the performances and quality of livestock production. Aflatoxins are always unavoidable and should be monitored. The objective of this paper is to bring to light a significant volume of data on AF contamination in several animal feed ingredients in Northern Italy. The Regional Breeders Association of Lombardy has been conducting a survey program to monitor mycotoxin contamination in animal feeds, and in this paper, we present data relating to AFB1 contamination. In most cases (95%), the concentrations were low enough to ensure compliance with the European Union's (EU's) maximum admitted levels for animal feed ingredients. However, the data show a high variability in AF contamination between different matrices and, within the same matrix, a high variability year over year. High levels of AFs were detected in maize and cotton, especially in the central part of the second decade of this century, i.e., 2015-2018, which has shown a higher risk of AF contamination in feed materials in Northern Italy. Variability due to climate change and the international commodity market affect future prospects to predict the presence of AFs. Supplier monitoring and control and reduced buying of contaminated raw materials, as well as performing analyses of each batch, help reduce AF spread.

The Assessment of Diet Contaminated with Aflatoxin B1 in Juvenile Turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) and the Evaluation of the Efficacy of Mitigation of a Yeast Cell Wall Extract

This study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary AFB₁ on growth performance, health, intestinal microbiota communities and AFB₁ tissue residues of turbot and evaluate the mitigation efficacy of yeast cell wall extract, Mycosorb^® (YCWE) toward AFB₁ contaminated dietary treatments. Nine experimental diets were formulated: Diet 1 (control): AFB₁ free; Diets 2-5 or Diets 6-9: 20 μg AFB₁/kg diet or 500 μg AFB₁/kg diet + 0%, 0.1%, 0.2%, or 0.4% YCWE, respectively). The results showed that Diet 6 significantly decreased the concentrations of TP, GLB, C3, C4, T-CHO, TG but increased the activities of AST, ALT in serum, decreased the expressions of CAT, SOD, GPx, CYP1A but increased the expressions of CYP3A, GST-ζ₁, p53 in liver. Diet 6 increased the AFB₁ residues in serum and muscle, altered the intestinal microbiota composition, decreased the bacterial community diversity and the abundance of some potential probiotics. However, Diet 8 and Diet 9 restored the immune response, relieved adverse effects in liver, lowered the AFB₁ residues in turbot tissues, promoted intestinal microbiota diversity and lowered the abundance of potentially pathogens. In conclusion, YCWE supplementation decreased the health effects of AFB₁ on turbot, restoring biomarkers closer to the mycotoxin-free control diet.

In vivo AFB1 detoxification by Lactobacillus fermentum LC5/a with chlorophyll and immunopotentiating activity in albino mice

The potential Aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) binding Lactobacillus fermentum (LC5/a) was used for in vivo AFB₁ binding and detoxification in presence of chlorophyll (CL) in male Swiss albino mice. Mice were randomly divided into seven groups. The control groups (CL, AFB₁ and LC5/a) received chlorophyll (250 μg/kg b.w), AFB₁ (100 μg/kg b.w) and LC5/a (1 × 10⁸ CFU) for 21 days. The treatment group (AFB₁+LC5/a) received 100 μl of lyophilized bacterial suspension (1 × 10⁸ CFU) 2 h before the AFB₁ dosage (100μg/kg b.w). The chlorophyll mice group (CL + AFB₁) was given single oral dose of CL (250 μg/kg b.w) before AFB₁ dosage and last mice group received the combination of CL + LC5/a before the AFB₁ dosage over a period of 21 days. Ballooning of cytoplasm and necrosis in liver was evident in histopathological examination of AFB₁ mice group, while, marked improvement and nearly normal histology were seen in LC5/a and CL treated mice group. The levels of AST, ALT, GST, and SOD were increased in AFB₁ mice group compared to LC5/a and CL treated mice group. Elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, TNF-α, IL-12, IL-6 (324, 506, 117.25 pg/ml) were observed in AFB₁ treated mice serum compared to LC5/a and CL treated mice (249.54, 322.01 and 82.35 pg/ml). Thus, Lactobacillus fermentum LC5/a has certainly sequestered AFB₁ from gastrointestinal tract besides regulating the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines.

The effects of aflatoxin B1 on growth hormone regulated gene-1 and interaction between DNA and aflatoxin B1 in broiler chickens during hatching

Many types of aflatoxin cause problems for both public and animal health. Aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) is the most toxic and commonly encountered fungal toxin that appears in poultry feed and in feeds stored under unsuitable conditions. AFB₁ decreases feed quality, egg production and fertility of hatching eggs. Also, AFB₁ alters the development of embryos by infecting eggs. We investigated using sequence analysis the changes caused by different concentrations of AFB₁ on the promoter sequences of the growth hormone regulated gene-1 (GHRG-1) in chick embryo at 13, 17, 19 and 21 days incubation. DNA isolated from the liver of chick embryos treated with different concentrations of AFB₁ was separated using agarose gel electrophoresis to detect apoptosis, and DNA interaction with AFB₁ was investigated using plasmids to detect changes in electrophoretic mobility and their effects on DNA. Base changes of the promoter sequences of GHRG-1 in 5 ng/egg, 15 ng/egg and 40 ng/egg doses of AFB₁ were increased on day 19 compared to base changes of the same AFB₁ doses on day 13. We also found that AFB at different concentrations changed the mobility of DNA by binding to it, and that high doses of AFB1 destroyed DNA. The DNA interaction study using plasmid demonstrated that AFB₁ at high doses was bound to plasmid DNA, slowed its mobility and inhibited restriction cuts.

N-Nitrosodimethylamine changes the expression of glutathione S-transferase in the liver of male mice: The role of antioxidants

The present study investigated the protective effect of gossypol, selenium, zinc, or glutathione (GSH) against dimethylnitrosamine (DMN)-induced hepatotoxicity in the livers of male mice. The expression and the activity of glutathione S-transferase (GST), levels of GSH, and free radicals (malondialdehyde (MDA)), as well as the activity of glutathione reductase were determined after the treatment of mice for seven consecutive days with low or high doses of gossypol, selenium, zinc, or GSH. In experimental groups, DMN was administered as a single dose for 2 h after the repeated dose treatments of mice for seven consecutive days with each antioxidant. DMN reduced the expression and inhibited the activity of GST. However, repeated treatments of mice with low-dose gossypol or high dose of either selenium or GSH followed by a single dose of DMN induced the expression and the activity of GST. In contrast, low-dose treatments of mice with zinc, selenium, or GSH followed by a single dose of DMN reduced the expression and the activity of GST compared to either control or DMN-treated groups. In addition, high-dose treatment with either gossypol or selenium markedly induced the levels of GSH compared to either control or DMN-treated groups. Interestingly, pretreatment of mice with high dose of either gossypol or selenium for seven consecutive days followed by a single dose of DMN decreased the levels of MDA, whereas DMN induced such levels. It is concluded that high dose of either gossypol or selenium is a stronger protector than zinc and GSH in ameliorating the toxic effects of DMN.