title: Antioxidant systems of the developing quail embryo are compromised by mycotoxin aurofusarin.
abstract: The effects of aurofusarin in the quail diet on the antioxidant systems of the developing embryo are investigated. Thirty eight 45-day-old Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica) were divided into two groups and were fed on a corn-soya diet or the same diet supplemented with aurofusarin at the level of 26.4 mg/kg feed in the form of Fusarium graminearum culture enriched with aurofusarin. Eggs obtained after 7 weeks of feeding were incubated. Samples of quail tissues were collected at day 17 of embryonic development and from day old hatchlings. Antioxidants and malondialdehyde were analysed by HPLC-based methods. Inclusion of aurofusarin in the maternal diet was associated with decreased concentrations of alpha- and gamma-tocopherols, alpha- and gamma-tocotrienols, retinol, lutein and zeaxanthin in egg yolk. The vitamin E (tocopherols and tocotrienols) concentration in the liver and yolk sac membrane (YSM) of the day 17 embryos and the hatchlings from aurofusarin-fed group was significantly decreased. Alpha-tocopherol concentration was also reduced in kidney, lung, heart, muscle and brain of day-old quails. In the liver of day-old quails, concentrations of lutein, zeaxanthin, retinol, retinyl linoleate, retinyl oleate, retinyl palmitate and retinyl stearate were also reduced. As a result of these diminished antioxidant concentrations, tissue susceptibility to lipid peroxidation was significantly increased. It is suggested that a compromised antioxidant system of the egg yolk and embryonic tissues could predispose quails to increased mortality at late stages of their embryonic development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, Sumy State Agrarian University, Ukraine.
authors.forename: Julia E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Dvorska
authors.forename: Peter F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Surai
authors.forename: Brian K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Speake
authors.forename: Nick H C
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Sparks
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis*; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D003370:Coturnix; D004530:Egg Yolk / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000032:analysis; D009183:Mycotoxins / Q000633:toxicity*; D009285:Naphthoquinones / Q000633:toxicity*; D011784:Quail / Q000196:embryology*; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D015017:Yolk Sac / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D009183:Mycotoxins; D009285:Naphthoquinones; D014810:Vitamin E; D002338:Carotenoids; D008315:Malondialdehyde; C083578:aurofusarin