title: Serum IgA-promoting effects induced by feed loads containing isolated deoxynivalenol (DON) in growing piglets.
abstract: Deoxynivalenol (DON), a Fusarium toxin belonging to the trichothecene group, has been reported to produce a variety of adverse health effects in farm animals, such as inhibition of protein synthesis, reduction of feed intake, and alteration of the immune system. In pigs, the effects of increasing levels of chemically pure DON in a semisynthetic diet on performance, health, and serum immunglobulin A (IgA) levels were examined. A diet, without grain components and trichothecene free (8 main trichothecenes), with doses of 0, 300, 600, and 1200 microg pure DON/kg was fed to 34 female pigs for a period of 8 wk after weaning under standardized conditions. Body weight gain and biochemical and hematological values in the blood and serum, including concentrations of IgA, blood glucose, cortisol, and insulinlike growth factor 1 (IGF-1), were determined. Increasing levels of DON in the feed induced a significant depression of glucose levels. Cortisol and IGF-1 levels were not significantly affected but differed between groups at the end of the experiment. A significant increase of IgA concentration in the serum even at a dosage level of 600 microg DON/kg feed was observed. This is the first report demonstrating in vivo that limited dosages of DON are able to stimulate IgA levels in the serum of growing piglets.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Animal Nutrition, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany. drochner@uni-hohenheim.de
authors.forename: Winfried
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Drochner
authors.forename: Margit
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schollenberger
authors.forename: Hans-Peter
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Piepho
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Götz
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Lauber
authors.forename: Myqerem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tafaj
authors.forename: Franc
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Klobasa
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Weiler
authors.forename: Rolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Claus
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Steffl
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001786:Blood Glucose; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects*; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism; D013552:Swine; D014255:Trichothecenes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D014255:Trichothecenes; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; C007262:deoxynivalenol; D006854:Hydrocortisone