THE INFLUENCE OF DIETARY CONTAMINATION WITH AFLATOXIN AFB1 ON BASIC INDICATORS OF IRON METABOLISM
Magdalena OGLUSZKA1, Agnieszka HEROSIMCZYK4, Marta MARYNOWSKA4, Angelika TKACZYK-WLIZLO 5, Pawel GRYCHNIK5, Ewa POLAWSKA1, Chandra PAREEK7, Mariusz PIERZCHALA1, Rafal STARZYNSKI2, Wojciech KOZERA3, Adam LEPCZYNSKI4, Brygida SLASKA5, Hiroaki TANIGUCHI6, Pawel LIPINSKI2, Katarzyna KEPKA1, Malgorzata OZGO4
1Department of Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Jastrzebiec, Poland
2Department of Molecular Biology, Institute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Jastrzebiec, Poland
3Department of Pig Breeding, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Olsztyn, Poland
4Department of Physiology, Cytobiology and Proteomics, West Pomeranian University of Technology, Szczecin, Poland
5Faculty of Animal Sciences and Bioeconomy, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Lublin, Poland
6Department of Experimental Embryology, Institute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Jastrzebiec, Poland
7Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Biological and Veterinary Sciences, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, Poland
Fungal mycotoxins, common food contaminants, contribute to food losses. Particular the aflatoxins (AF) B1, B2, G1 and G2 synthesized by Aspergillus sp. have an adverse effect on human and animal health, including the development of hepatotoxicity and cancer. Cases have been reported in which a single administration of AF resulted in changes in clinical outcomes, serum biochemistry, histology, and hematology. In our experiment, aflatoxicosis was studied in 24 4-week-old Polish Landrace piglets from 6 litters, randomly assigned to 3 experimental groups (N = 6) receiving: 0, 30 and 60 µg AFB1/kg b.w. for 28 consecutive days. The animals were slaughtered, weighed and samples taken for analysis. AFB1 administration had no effect on feed intake, daily gain and red blood cell indices (Hb, RBC, MCV, MCV, Ret) in all groups. Statistically significant differences were observed in the WBC count in the group receiving 60 µg AFB1/kg b.w. compared to the other groups. The analysis of the content of non-heme and heme iron in tissues and plasma iron did not change, although an increasing trend was observed in the group of piglets receiving the highest dose of AFB1. Similarly, the highest dose resulted in nonsignificant but higher levels of nonheme iron in duodenal scrapings. Preliminary conclusions indicate that low concentrations of AFB1 do not disrupt iron homeostasis, although this dose confirms a complex, direct toxic effect causing neutrophil mobilization. Promising studies are currently underway with an actual feed/food contaminating dose of 120 µg AFB1/kg bw.