title: Level of zearalenone in blood serum and lesions in ovarian follicles of sexually immature gilts in the course of zearalenone micotoxicosis.
abstract: The aim of the study was to determine how a low dose of zearalenone applied orally for eight days influences the level of zearalenone (ZEN) and alpha-zearalenole in blood plasma and causes the occurrence of histopathological changes in the cells of the ovarian follicles in sexually immature gilts. The animals were divided into 2 groups (control, C; n = 4 and experimental, E; n = 4). The gilts from group E were treated daily with zearalenone at a dose of 200 microg/kg b.w. The level of zearalenone and alpha-zearalenole (ZON as the sum of the levels of both zearalenone and alpha-zearalenole) was measured daily. On day eight of the experiment the animals were sacrificed and their ovaries were taken for histopathological examination. The tissue sections obtained were HE- and PAS-stained according to McManus. The presence of PCNA antigen was also estimated. The highest concentration of ZON was noted on day 5 in group E (8.16 +/- 2.49 ng/ml). External estrus symptoms without standing reflex were observed in group E on day 4. In group C there were no pathological changes in the ovaries. In group E, a few ovarian follicles were found, but they were located in the cortical layer. They were filled with a liquid substance rich in protein and without the granulosa layer. There was disintegration with apoptotic-like changes of the PCNA-negative cells in the granulosa layer of single mature follicles. On day 4 the dose of zearalenone caused disturbances in the process of development and maturation of some of the best developed ovarian follicles. This probably occurred through the activation of on apoptosis-like process of the granulosa cells with simultaneous manifestation of estrus without standing reflex.
authors.affiliation: Division of Veterinary Prevention and Feed Hygiene, Department of Veterinary Health Protection, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Oczapowskiego 13, 10-718 Olsztyn, Poland.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zwierzchowski
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Przybyłowicz
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Obremski
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zielonka
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Skorska-Wyszyńska
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gajecka
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Polak
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jakimiuk
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jana
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rybarczyk
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gajecki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D015651:Mycotoxicosis / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000473:pathology*; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology*; D015025:Zearalenone / Q000097:blood* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D015029:Zeranol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
chemical_list: C029659:zearalenol; D015025:Zearalenone; D015029:Zeranol