Alternariol Monomethyl-Ether Induces Toxicity via Cell Death and Oxidative Stress in Swine Intestinal Epithelial Cells.

Alternariol monomethyl-ether (AME), together with altenuene and alternariol, belongs to the Alternaria mycotoxins group, which can contaminate different substrates, including cereals. The aim of the present study was to obtain a deeper understanding concerning the effects of AME on pig intestinal health using epithelial intestinal cell lines as the data concerning the possible effects of Alternaria toxins on swine are scarce and insufficient for assessing the risk represented by Alternaria toxins for animal health. Our results have shown a dose-related effect on IPEC-1 cell viability, with an IC50 value of 10.5 µM. Exposure to the toxin induced an increase in total apoptotic cells, suggesting that AME induces programmed cell death through apoptosis based on caspase-3/7 activation in IPEC-1 cells. DNA and protein oxidative damage triggered by AME were associated with an alteration of the antioxidant response, as shown by a decrease in the enzymatic activity of catalase and superoxide dismutase. These effects on the oxidative response can be related to an inhibition of the Akt/Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway; however, further studies are needed in order to validate these in vitro data using in vivo trials in swine.

Antioxidant Properties of Cranberry Leaves and Walnut Meal and Their Effect on Nutritional Quality and Oxidative Stability of Broiler Breast Meat.

Dietary sources of bioactive compounds in animal diets, are the natural way to produce animal food products with improved nutritional quality. The present study aimed to test the hypothesis of a synergistic effect of bioactive compounds of cranberry leaf powder and walnut meal on the nutritional quality and antioxidant compounds of broiler meat. An experiment was conducted on 160 COBB 500 broiler chickens, housed in an experimental hall with permanent wood shave litter in boxes of 3 m2. The six dietary treatments were based on corn and soybean meal; three experimental groups were fed diets supplemented with cranberry leaves (CLs) with three inclusion rates (0% in the control group and CL 1% and CL 2%); two experimental groups were fed diets supplemented with walnut meal (WM) with two inclusion rates (0% and WM 6%); and two groups were fed diets with a combination of the selected supplements (CL 1% WM 6% and CL 2% WM 6%). The results show that the experimental groups registered higher concentrations of copper and iron compared with the control group. An antagonist effect was noticed on lipophilic compounds, and the lutein and zeaxanthin concentrations presented a dose-dependent increasing effect under CL influence, while vitamin E concentrations decreased in the same manner. The dietary WM positively influenced vitamin E deposits on breast tissue. The dietary supplements did not produce any effect on the primary oxidation products, but the secondary products were influenced, and the maximum effect on the TBARS values were recorded for the dietary combination of CL 1% and WM 6%.

Effects of Exposure to Low Zearalenone Concentrations Close to the EU Recommended Value on Weaned Piglets' Colon.

Pigs are the most sensitive animal to zearalenone (ZEN) contamination, especially after weaning, with acute deleterious effects on different health parameters. Although recommendations not to exceed 100 µg/kg in piglets feed exists (2006/576/EC), there are no clear regulations concerning the maximum limit in feed for piglets, which means that more investigations are necessary to establish a guidance value. Due to these reasons, the present study aims to investigate if ZEN, at a concentration lower than the EC recommendation for piglets, might affect the microbiota or induce changes in SCFA synthesis and can trigger modifications of nutritional, physiological, and immunological markers in the colon (intestinal integrity through junction protein analysis and local immunity through IgA production). Consequently, the effect of two concentrations of zearalenone were tested, one below the limit recommended by the EC (75 µg/kg) and a higher one (290 µg/kg) for comparison reasons. Although exposure to contaminated feed with 75 µg ZEN/kg feed did not significantly affect the observed parameters, the 290 µg/kg feed altered several microbiota population abundances and the secretory IgA levels. The obtained results contribute to a better understanding of the adverse effects that ZEN can have in the colon of young pigs in a dose-dependent manner.

Diet containing grape seed meal by-product counteracts AFB1 toxicity in liver of pig after weaning.

Liver is the earliest target for AFB1 toxicity in both human and animals. In the last decade, plant derived by-products have been used in animal feed to reduce AFB1 induced toxicity. In the present study we investigated whether the presence of 8% grape seed meal by-product is able to counteract the hepatotoxic effects produced by AFB1 in liver of pig after weaning exposed to the toxin through the contaminated feed for 28 days. Twenty four weaned cross-bred TOPIGS-40 piglets with an average body weight of 9.13±0.03 were allocated to the following experimentally treatments: control diet without AFB1 (normal compound feed for weaned pigs); contaminated diet with 320 mg kg-1 AFB1; GSM diet (compound feed plus 8% grape seed meal) and AFB1+GSM diet (320 mg kg-1 AFB1 contaminated feed plus 8% grape seed meal). Pigs fed AFB1 diet had altered performance, body weight decreasing with 25.1% (b.w.: 17.17 kg for AFB1 vs 22.92 kg for control). Exposure of piglets to AFB1 contaminated diet caused liver oxidative stress as well as liver histological damage, manly characterized by inflammatory infiltrate, fibrosis and parenchyma cells vacuolation when compared to control and GSM meal group. 94.12% of the total analysed genes (34) related to inflammation and immune response was up-regulated. The addition of GSM into the AFB1 diet diminished the gene overexpression and ameliorate histological liver injuries and oxidative stress. The protective effect of GSM diet in diminishing the AFB1 harmful effect was mediated through the decreasing of gene and protein expression of MAPKs and NF-κB signalling overexpressed by AFB1 diet. The inclusion of grape seed by-products in the diet of pigs after weaning might be used as a novel nutritional intervention to reduce aflatoxin toxicity.

Effect of Dietary Hemp Seed on Oxidative Status in Sows during Late Gestation and Lactation and Their Offspring.

This study shows the antioxidant effect of a dietary hemp seed diet rich in ω-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) on oxidative status in sows during late gestation and lactation and their offspring. Ten pregnant sows were divided into two groups and fed either a control diet (CD) or a hemp diet (HD) containing 2% hemp seed meal for a period of 10 days before farrowing and 5% throughout the lactation period (21 d). After farrowing, 16 of their resulting piglets were divided into two groups: control group CD (eight piglets derived from control sows) and HD group (eight piglets derived from HD sows), respectively. Blood collected from sows and piglets at day 1, 7 and 21 was used for the measurement of antioxidant enzymes (catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GPx)), nitric oxide production (NO), lipid peroxidation (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances-TBARS), reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in plasma. The results showed a significant improvement in the oxidative status of sows fed HD throughout lactation compared with CD. Similarly, in piglets, HD positively influenced the activities of antioxidant enzymes, TAC and NO levels and significantly decreased lipid peroxidation in plasma until weaning, in comparison with the CD group. This study suggests the potential of hemp seed diet to improve the overall antioxidant status of the lactating sows and their progeny.