Deoxynivalenol, but not fumonisin B1, aflatoxin B1 or diesel exhaust particles disrupt integrity of the horse’s respiratory epithelium and predispose it for equine herpesvirus type 1 infection.
Abstract: The horse's respiratory tract daily encounters a plethora of respirable hazards including air pollutants, mycotoxins and airborne pathogens. To date, the precise effect of air pollution and mycotoxins on respiratory epithelial integrity and subsequent pathogen invasion in the horse has not been studied. Here, diesel exhaust particles (DEP) and three major mycotoxins (deoxynivalenol [DON], aflatoxin B1 [AFB1] and fumonisin B1 [FB1]) were applied to the apical surfaces of both ex vivo respiratory mucosal explants and in vitro primary equine respiratory epithelial cells (EREC) cultivated at the air-liquid interface, prior to inoculation with equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV1). DON, but not AFB1, FB1 and DEP affected epithelial integrity in both ex vivo and in vitro systems, as demonstrated by histological changes in respiratory epithelial morphology and a drop in transepithelial electrical resistance across the EREC monolayer. Further, DON-pretreated explants showed on average 6.5 ± 4.5-fold more EHV1 plaques and produced on average 1 log more extracellular virus particles compared to control diluent- and FB1-pretreated respiratory mucosal explants. Similarly, EHV1 infection was greatly enhanced in EREC upon pretreatment with DON. Based on our findings, we propose that inhalation of DON predisposes horses for EHV1 infection by affecting respiratory epithelial integrity.
Copyright © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2019-05-09 PubMed ID: 31213268DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2019.05.009Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research study explores the impact of air pollution, certain mycotoxins (toxin in fungi), and diesel exhaust particles (DEP) on the respiratory tract of horses, and how it can make them more susceptible to equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV1) infection. The toxin examined that was found to cause substantial damage to the horse respiratory epithelium is called deoxynivalenol (DON).
Research Methodology
- Both in vivo (within the body) and in vitro (inside a test tube) methods were used. Respiratory mucosal explants (tissue samples) were exposed to DEP and three mycotoxins: DON, aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), and fumonisin B1 (FB1).
- The mycotoxins were applied to the apical surfaces of the ex vivo mucosal explants and in vitro primary equine respiratory epithelial cells (EREC) cultured at the air-liquid interface. This was done prior to the samples being infected with EHV1 to measure the impact of these toxins on the horse’s susceptibility to the virus.
Results and Findings
- Among the mycotoxins and DEP tested, DON was found to notably affect the respiratory epithelial integrity in both ex vivo and in vitro systems. This was evident through changes in the epithelial morphology and a decrease in transepithelial electrical resistance across the EREC monolayer.
- Significant infection enhancement was observed in DON-pretreated explants, which on average, had 6.5 folds more EHV1 plaques and produced 1 log more extracellular virus particles than control and FB1-pretreated respiratory mucosal explants.
- Enhanced EHV1 infection was also observed in EREC pretreated with DON, providing further evidence that DON exposure increases the vulnerability of horses to EHV1.
Conclusion
- The study concludes that the inhalation of DON may raise a horse’s risk for EHV1 infection by impacting the integrity of their respiratory epithelium. This finding has significant implications for the future prevention and management of EHV1 and potentially other respiratory infections in horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Van Cleemput J, Poelaert KCK, Laval K, Van den Broeck W, Nauwynck HJ.
(2019).
Deoxynivalenol, but not fumonisin B1, aflatoxin B1 or diesel exhaust particles disrupt integrity of the horse’s respiratory epithelium and predispose it for equine herpesvirus type 1 infection.
Vet Microbiol, 234, 17-24.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetmic.2019.05.009 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium; Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, 119 Lewis Thomas Laboratory, Washington Road, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA.
- Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium.
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, 119 Lewis Thomas Laboratory, Washington Road, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA.
- Department of Morphology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium.
- Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium. Electronic address: hans.nauwynck@ugent.be.
MeSH Terms
- Aflatoxin B1 / adverse effects
- Animal Feed / microbiology
- Animals
- Edible Grain / microbiology
- Fumonisins / adverse effects
- Gasoline
- Herpesviridae Infections / veterinary
- Herpesvirus 1, Equid
- Horses
- Respiratory Mucosa / drug effects
- Respiratory Mucosa / pathology
- Trichothecenes / adverse effects
- Vehicle Emissions
Citations
This article has been cited 8 times.- Kang R, Qu H, Guo Y, Ji C, Cheng J, Wang Y, Huang S, Zhao L, Ji C, Ma Q. Toxicokinetics of Deoxynivalenol in Dezhou Male Donkeys after Oral Administration. Toxins (Basel) 2023 Jun 30;15(7).
- Fang M, Hu W, Liu B. Protective and detoxifying effects conferred by selenium against mycotoxins and livestock viruses: A review. Front Vet Sci 2022;9:956814.
- Van Crombrugge E, Vanbeylen E, Van Cleemput J, Van den Broeck W, Laval K, Nauwynck H. Bacterial Toxins from Staphylococcus aureus and Bordetella bronchiseptica Predispose the Horse's Respiratory Tract to Equine Herpesvirus Type 1 Infection. Viruses 2022 Jan 14;14(1).
- Laval K, Poelaert KCK, Van Cleemput J, Zhao J, Vandekerckhove AP, Gryspeerdt AC, Garré B, van der Meulen K, Baghi HB, Dubale HN, Zarak I, Van Crombrugge E, Nauwynck HJ. The Pathogenesis and Immune Evasive Mechanisms of Equine Herpesvirus Type 1. Front Microbiol 2021;12:662686.
- Mohamed E, Van Cleemput J, Şahin B, Van den Broeck W, Boyen F, Nauwynck H. Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus Supernatant Containing Streptolysin S Alters the Equine Nasal and Vaginal Mucosa, Modulating Equine Herpesvirus 1, 3 and 4 Infections. Viruses 2025 Jul 14;17(7).
- Van Crombrugge E, Ren X, Glorieux S, Zarak I, Van den Broeck W, Bachert C, Zhang N, Van Zele T, Kim D, Smith GA, Laval K, Nauwynck H. The alphaherpesvirus gE/gI glycoprotein complex and proteases jointly orchestrate invasion across the host's upper respiratory epithelial barrier. mBio 2024 Nov 13;15(11):e0187324.
- Portaels J, Van Crombrugge E, Van Den Broeck W, Lagrou K, Laval K, Nauwynck H. Aspergillus Fumigatus Spore Proteases Alter the Respiratory Mucosa Architecture and Facilitate Equine Herpesvirus 1 Infection. Viruses 2024 Jul 27;16(8).
- Prathap-Kumar K, Balakrishna-Nair MN, Punniyamurthy N. Inhalation toxicity of mycotoxins in farm animals. Iran J Vet Res 2023;24(2):94-95.
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