title: Zearalenone Altered the Serum Hormones, Morphologic and Apoptotic Measurements of Genital Organs in Post-weaning Gilts.
abstract: The present study was aimed at investigating the adverse effects of dietary zearalenone (ZEA) (1.1 to 3.2 mg/kg diet) on serum hormones, morphologic and apoptotic measurements of genital organs in post-weaning gilts. A total of twenty gilts (Landrace×Yorkshire×Duroc) weaned at 21 d with an average body weight of 10.36±1.21 kg were used in the study. Gilts were fed a basal diet with an addition of 0, 1.1, 2.0, or 3.2 mg/kg purified ZEA for 18 d ad libitum. Results showed that 3.2 mg/kg ZEA challenged gilts decreased (p<0.05) the serum levels of luteinizing hormone, however, serum levels of prolactin in gilts fed the diet containing 2.0 mg/kg ZEA or more were increased (p<0.05) compared to those in the control. Linear effects on all tested serum hormones except progesterone were observed as dietary ZEA levels increased (p<0.05). Gilts fed ZEA-contaminated diet showed increase (p<0.05) in genital organs size, hyperplasia of submucosal smooth muscles in the corpus uteri in a dose-dependent manner. However, the decreased numbers of follicles in the cortex and apoptotic cells in the ovarian were observed in gilts treated with ZEA in a dose-dependent manner. Degeneration and structural abnormalities of genital organs tissues were also observed in the gilts fed diet containing 1.1 mg/kg ZEA or more. Results suggested that dietary ZEA at 1.1 to 3.2 mg/kg can induce endocrine disturbance and damage genital organs in post-weaning gilts.
authors.affiliation: College of Life science, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong 271018, China .
authors.forename: X X
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: College of Life science, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong 271018, China .
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: College of Life science, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong 271018, China .
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: College of Life science, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong 271018, China .
authors.forename: Q S
authors.initials: QS
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.affiliation: College of Life science, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong 271018, China .
authors.forename: S Z
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Amlan International, Chicago, IL 60604, USA.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chi
keywords: Apoptosis; Gilt; Hormones; Morphology; Zearalenone