title: Subchronic toxicological investigations of Fusarium moniliforme-contaminated corn, culture material, and ammoniated culture material.
abstract: The fungus Fusarium moniliforme is ubiquitous on corn throughout the world and is a likely co-contaminant on corn infested with aflatoxin-producing Aspergillus flavus. Ammoniation has been used to detoxify aflatoxin-contaminated commodities. To determine the effect of ammoniation on the toxic potential of Fusarium moniliforme, male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed either diets containing 10% sound corn, ammoniated corn, corn culture material of hepatotoxic F. moniliforme strain MRC 826 (CM), or ammoniated CM for four weeks. They were observed for signs of toxicity and hematological, serum chemical and histopathological evaluations were made. Groups of male Balb/c mice were fed diets fortifies with 10% sound corn or CM for four weeks and evaluated by serum chemical and histopathological means to determine the suitability of mice as a model species for investigation of F. moniliforme-induced hepatotoxicity. Ammoniation was ineffective for detoxification of the CM. Hepatotoxicity and renal toxicity of CM and ammoniated CM were qualitatively similar, although renal tubular lesions appeared more advanced in rats fed ammoniated CM. Adrenal cortical cellular vacuolation was also found in CM and ammoniated CM-fed rats, while focal seminiferous tubular degeneration and aspermia were found only in the testes of ammoniated CM-fed rats. Fumonisin B1 concentrations of the CM and ammoniated CM diets averaged 99 and 75 ppm, respectively. CM containing 99 ppm fumonisin B1 also produced hepatotoxicity in mice similar to that found in CM-fed rats. Thus, mice may be useful for investigations of F. moniliforme-induced hepatotoxicity.
authors.affiliation: Toxicology and Mycotoxin Research Unit, Richard B. Russell Agricultural Research Center, USDA/ARS, Athens, GA 30613.
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Voss
authors.forename: W P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Norred
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Bacon
mesh_terms: D000641:Ammonia / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000821:Animal Feed / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D001773:Blood Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D005516:Food Microbiology; D037341:Fumonisins; D005670:Fusarium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development*; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009183:Mycotoxins / Q000633:toxicity; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D003313:Zea mays / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D037341:Fumonisins; D009183:Mycotoxins; C056933:fumonisin B1; D000641:Ammonia