Highly deoxynivalenol contaminated oats and immune function in horses.
Abstract: The aim of the present study was to investigate the impact of deoxynivalenol (DON) on cellular and humoral immune parameters in horses. A feeding trial using naturally contaminated oats with high (20.2 mg/kg) and low (0.49 mg/kg) levels of DON was conducted. Two groups of five mares were fed 2 kg oats daily with high or low DON levels for two weeks, using a crossover design with a three-week wash-out period. No adverse effects on general health were observed. Only minor diet-related changes in differential blood counts and serum biochemistry were noted. Serum haptoglobin concentration was significantly elevated after feeding DON (p = 0.04). Lymphocyte subsets (CD4+ CD8+, CD2+, CD21+, MHCII+) and lymphocyte proliferation data (concanavalin A, phytohemagglutinin, pokeweed mitogen) were not different between feeding-groups. It can be concluded that daily DON intakes as high as 6.9 to 9.5 mg/100 kg BW appear to have no major impact on the measured immune response of horses, indicating that this species has a high tolerance for DON.
Publication Date: 2012-05-31 PubMed ID: 22641926DOI: 10.1080/1745039x.2012.672220Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research article is about a study conducted to determine the effects of a toxin called deoxynivalenol (DON) on the immune function of horses, where it was found that even high levels of this toxin did not have a significant impact on the horse’s immunity.
Introduction and Aim of the Study
- The objective of this research was to understand the impact of a toxin named deoxynivalenol (DON) on cellular and humoral immunity in horses.
- Earlier studies examining the toxicity of this type of toxin have been conducted, but knowledge about its effects in horses was previously lacking.
Research Method
- The researchers conducted a feeding trial using oats that had naturally high (20.2 mg/kg) and low (0.49 mg/kg) levels of DON.
- Two groups of five mares were exposed to oats daily that contained different levels of DON for two weeks, followed by a three-week cleansing period. This is known as a crossover design.
Observations and Results
- Throughout the study, no major adverse effects on the general health of the horses were observed. The diet-related changes in blood counts and serum biochemistry were all minor.
- It was noted that the serum haptoglobin concentration (an acute phase protein often acting as a marker of inflammation) significantly increased after feeding DON, as demonstrated by the p-value of 0.04 (reflecting a level of statistical significance).
- No significant differences were found in terms of lymphocyte subsets (specific types of white blood cells), or lymphocyte proliferation response to various mitogens (substances that encourage cell division).
Summary and Conclusion
- The study concluded that even high daily SIM of DON, between 6.9 to 9.5 mg/100 kg body weight, did not majorly impact the immune response of horses. This suggests that horses possess a high tolerance for this toxin.
- While the toxin raised the serum haptoglobin concentration, it did not particularly affect any other immune parameters, and no adverse effects on the general health of the horses were observed.
Cite This Article
APA
Khol-Parisini A, Hellweg P, Razzazi-Fazeli E, Saalmüller A, Strasser A, Tichy A, Zenteke J.
(2012).
Highly deoxynivalenol contaminated oats and immune function in horses.
Arch Anim Nutr, 66(2), 149-161.
https://doi.org/10.1080/1745039x.2012.672220 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Institute of Nutrition, Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria. annabella.khol-parisini@vetmeduni.ac.at
MeSH Terms
- Animal Feed / analysis
- Animals
- Avena / chemistry
- Cross-Over Studies
- Diet / veterinary
- Female
- Food Contamination / analysis
- Horse Diseases / chemically induced
- Horse Diseases / immunology
- Horses
- Immunity, Cellular / drug effects
- Immunity, Humoral / drug effects
- Trichothecenes / chemistry
- Trichothecenes / toxicity
Citations
This article has been cited 8 times.- Schrenk D, Bignami M, Bodin L, Del Mazo JKCJ, Grasl-Kraupp B, Hogstrand C, Leblanc JC, Nielsen E, Ntzani E, Petersen A, Sand S, Schwerdtle T, Vleminckx C, Wallace H, Dänicke S, Nebbia CS, Oswald IP, Rovesti E, Steinkellner H, Hoogenboom LR. Assessment of information as regards the toxicity of deoxynivalenol for horses and poultry.. EFSA J 2023 Feb;21(2):e07806.
- Dänicke S, Saltzmann J, Liermann W, Glatter M, Hüther L, Kersten S, Zeyner A, Feige K, Warnken T. Evaluation of Inner Exposure of Horses to Zearalenone (ZEN), Deoxynivalenol (DON) and Their Metabolites in Relation to Colic and Health-Related Clinical-Chemical Traits.. Toxins (Basel) 2021 Aug 23;13(8).
- Tran AT, Kluess J, Kersten S, Berk A, Paulick M, Schatzmayr D, Dänicke S, Frahm J. Sodium sulfite (SoS) as decontamination strategy for Fusarium-toxin contaminated maize and its impact on immunological traits in pigs challenged with lipopolysaccharide (LPS).. Mycotoxin Res 2020 Nov;36(4):429-442.
- Knutsen HK, Alexander J, Barregård L, Bignami M, Brüschweiler B, Ceccatelli S, Cottrill B, Dinovi M, Grasl-Kraupp B, Hogstrand C, Hoogenboom LR, Nebbia CS, Oswald IP, Petersen A, Rose M, Roudot AC, Schwerdtle T, Vleminckx C, Vollmer G, Wallace H, De Saeger S, Eriksen GS, Farmer P, Fremy JM, Gong YY, Meyer K, Naegeli H, Parent-Massin D, Rietjens I, van Egmond H, Altieri A, Eskola M, Gergelova P, Ramos Bordajandi L, Benkova B, Dörr B, Gkrillas A, Gustavsson N, van Manen M, Edler L. Risks to human and animal health related to the presence of deoxynivalenol and its acetylated and modified forms in food and feed.. EFSA J 2017 Sep;15(9):e04718.
- Bertero A, Moretti A, Spicer LJ, Caloni F. Fusarium Molds and Mycotoxins: Potential Species-Specific Effects.. Toxins (Basel) 2018 Jun 15;10(6).
- Schumann B, Winkler J, Mickenautsch N, Warnken T, Dänicke S. Effects of deoxynivalenol (DON), zearalenone (ZEN), and related metabolites on equine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in vitro and background occurrence of these toxins in horses.. Mycotoxin Res 2016 Aug;32(3):153-61.
- Schulz AK, Kersten S, Dänicke S, Coenen M, Vervuert I. Effects of deoxynivalenol in naturally contaminated wheat on feed intake and health status of horses.. Mycotoxin Res 2015 Nov;31(4):209-16.
- Strasser A, Carra M, Ghareeb K, Awad W, Böhm J. Protective effects of antioxidants on deoxynivalenol-induced damage in murine lymphoma cells.. Mycotoxin Res 2013 Aug;29(3):203-8.
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