Fumonisins at doses below EU regulatory limits induce histological alterations in piglets

Chloé Terciolo (1) , Ana-Paula Loureiro-Bracarense (2) , Pollyana C.M.C. Souto (3) , Anne Marie Cossalter (4) , Léonie Dopavogui (5) , Nicolas Loiseau (5) , Carlos A.F. Oliveira (3) , Philippe Pinton (6) , Isabelle P. Oswald (6)

1 ToxAlim - ToxAlim
2 Laboratory of Animal Pathology
3 USP - Universidade de São Paulo = University of São Paulo
4 Ezop - Plateforme Ezop
5 ToxAlim-TIM - Toxicologie Intégrative & Métabolisme
6 ToxAlim-BioToMyc - Biosynthèse & Toxicité des Mycotoxines

Fumonisins (FBs) are mycotoxins produced by Fusarium species that can contaminate human food and animal feed. Due to the harmful effects of FBs on animals, the European Union (EU) defined a recommendation of a maximum of 5 mg FBs (B1 + B2)/kg for complete feed for swine and 1μgg FBs/kg body weight per day as the tolerable daily intake for humans. The aim of this study was to evaluate the toxicity of dietary exposure to low doses of FBs, including a dose below the EU regulatory limits. Four groups of 24 weaned castrated male piglets were exposed to feed containing 0, 3.7, 8.1, and 12.2 mg/kg of FBs for 28 days; the impact was measured by biochemical analysis and histopathological observations. Dietary exposure to FBs at a low dose (3.7 mg/kg of feed) significantly increased the plasma sphinganine-to-sphingosine ratio. FBs-contaminated diets led to histological modifications in the intestine, heart, lung, lymphoid organs, kidney, and liver. The histological alterations in the heart and the intestine appeared at the lowest dose of FBs-contaminated diet (3.7 mg/kg feed) and in the kidney at the intermediate dose (8.1 mg/kg feed). At the highest dose tested (12.2 mg/kg feed), all the organs displayed histological alterations. This dose also induced biochemical modifications indicative of kidney and liver alterations. In conclusion, our data indicate that FBs-contaminated diets at doses below the EU regulatory limit cause histological lesions in several organs. This study suggests that EU recommendations for the concentration of FBs in animal feed, especially for swine, are not su ciently protective and that regulatory doses should be modified for better protection of animal health.

Mots clés: fumonisin B1; toxicity; histopathology; European Union regulatory limits

Domaines: Toxicologie

Chloé Terciolo, Ana-Paula Loureiro-Bracarense, Pollyana C.M.C. Souto, Anne Marie Cossalter, Léonie Dopavogui, et al.. Fumonisins at doses below EU regulatory limits induce histological alterations in piglets. Toxins, 2019, 11 (9), 14 p. ⟨10.3390/toxins11090548⟩. ⟨hal-02627956⟩