title: The Kidneys of Infant Mice are not Sensitive to the Food Mycotoxin Contaminant Nivalenol.
abstract: Nivalenol (NIV) is a trichothecene mycotoxin produced by Fusarium fungi that frequently contaminates agricultural commodities. Dietary administration of NIV to adult mice affects the renal glomeruli, but data about NIV toxicity in human infants are limited. To evaluate the effects of NIV on infant kidneys, 3-week-old male ICR-derived glomerulonephritis (ICGN) and ICR mice were administered 0, 4, 8 or 16 ppm NIV in diet for 4 weeks, and their renal status was compared with age-matched or adult ICR mice. In ICGN mice, the number of glomeruli showing mesangial expansion and α-smooth muscle actin (SMA)-positive mesangial cells was higher with 16 ppm NIV compared with controls. No other significant differences were observed in ICGN mice. In infant ICR mice, the IgA serum concentrations were significantly elevated without glomerular morphological changes in the 16 ppm NIV group. There was no difference in NIV sensitivity in the kidneys of infant ICGN and ICR mice. These data suggest that the kidneys in infant mice are not sensitive to nivalenol under the present conditions.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pathology, National Institute of Health Sciences, 1-18-1 Kamiyoga, Setagaya, Tokyo 158-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Kaoru
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.affiliation: Division of Pathology, National Institute of Health Sciences, 1-18-1 Kamiyoga, Setagaya, Tokyo 158-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Miwa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.affiliation: Division of Toxicology, National Institute of Health Sciences, 1-18-1 Kamiyoga, Setagaya, Tokyo 158-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Yukio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kodama
authors.affiliation: Biological Safety Research Center, National Institute of Health Sciences, 1-18-1 Kamiyoga, Setagaya, Tokyo 158-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Akiyoshi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nishikawa
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Food and Hygiene, Department of Food and Life Science, Azabu University, 1-17-71 Fuchinobe, Chuo-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5201, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sugita-Konishi
authors.affiliation: Division of Pathology, National Institute of Health Sciences, 1-18-1 Kamiyoga, Setagaya, Tokyo 158-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Midori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoshida
keywords: ICGN mice; ICR mice; infants; nivalenol; renal glomeruli