Reproductive and teratological effects of continuous low‐level dietary T‐2 toxin in female CD‐1 mice for two generations

Abstract

A two-generation female reproduction and teratology study was undertaking using 0, 1.5 and 3.0 ppm of T-2 toxin in a semisynthetic diet. Conception rate was lowest at the first breeding and lowest in the control group at this time, but in later breedings the conception rates of each group were very similar. No significant differences were noted in litter size, death of fetuses, sex of fetuses and gestational length. Feed consumption was similar in all groups, as were the non-pregnant or pregnant female weight gains. Although the second-generation offspring grew faster than the first-generation offspring, and significantly lower body weights were seen in the 3.0 ppm T-2 toxin group at 2, 5 and 6 weeks of age, all offspring reached the normal weight for CD-1 mice at 6 weeks of age. Gross and histological evaluation of all animals at post-mortem examination did not reveal any significant results, nor were there significant differences in major and minor or retardation defects among the treatment groups. Relative spleen weights of the second-generation offspring were significantly higher in control females compared with the treated groups but treated males had significantly increased relative spleen weights compared with control males of this generation. It was concluded that no long-term reproductive and teratological effects of low-dose dietary T-2 toxin were found in this study.

Toxicity and recovery in the pregnant mouse after gestational exposure to the cyanobacterial toxin, cylindrospermopsin

“…The bleeding that is a prominent characteristic of CYN toxicity has been reported after exposure to the protein synthesis inhibitor, T‐2, a fungal metabolite. Also, placental bleeding has been described in both rats (Doi et al ., 2008) and mice (Schiefer, 1984; Rousseaux et al ., 1986) exposed to T‐2. This bleeding did not occur after the exposure to the protein synthesis inhibitor, emetine, but adverse clinical signs included vomiting and diarrhea (National Cancer Institute, 1978).…”

Report on toxicity data on trichothecene mycotoxins HT‐2 and T‐2 toxins

“…In a two-generation study with CD-1 mice fed a semi-synthetic diet containing T-2 toxin at concentrations of 1.5 and 3 mg/kg (0.22 and 0.45 mg/kg bw/d) neither embryotoxicity nor foetotoxicity was observed. A small transient reduction in weight gain was observed in offspring of the high dose group (Rousseaux et al, 1986;SCF, 2001;WHO, 2001).…”

Effects of trichothecene mycotoxins on eukaryotic cells: A review

“…T-2 reduced body weight gain in pigs (Weaver et al 1978) and DON and NIV caused growth retardation in mice (Ryu et al 1988, Ohtsubo et al 1989. Reproductive defects in mice caused by trichothecenes include embryo or foetal toxicity caused by T-2 toxin (Rousseaux et al 1986), increased postnatal mortality caused by DON (Khera et al 1984) and intrauterine growth retardation caused by NIV (Ito et al 1988). DON increased the susceptibility of mice to infections (Tryphonas et al 1986).…”