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.

Exploration of intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways in zearalenone-treated rat sertoli cells

“…ZEA also causes genotoxicity via DNA damage (Gao et al, ), DNA adduct formation (Lioi et al, ), and chromosomal abnormalities (El‐Makawy et al, ) among other genetic defects. The teratogenic effect of ZEA has also been shown to cause edemas in the reproductive organs of Gilts (Chen et al, ).…”

The determination of zearalenone and its major metabolites in endometrial cancer tissues

“…In the work of Brydl et al [10], the uterine weight of pigs receiving feed contaminated with ZEA was higher in comparison with the control group, and endometrial hyperplasia was observed in the experimental animals. The results of research [11][12][13][14][15] investigating the effects on ZEA and its metabolites on the reproductive organs of animals constitute the basis for human studies. The presence of ZEA and its metabolites was analyzed by Twarużek et al [16] in prostate tissues and by Gadzała-Kopciuch et al [17] in uterine mass tissue (endometrial cancer).…”

Effects of Zearalenone Exposure on the TGF-β1/Smad3 Signaling Pathway and the Expression of Proliferation or Apoptosis Related Genes of Post-Weaning Gilts

“…The similar growth rate, feed intake, and feed efficiency of the piglets among all the treatments indicated that gilts within a treatment likely consumed a similar amount of digestible energy and other nutrients, and that differences obtained among treatments were likely attributable to the different concentrations of ZEA in the diet [ 14 , 20 ].…”

“…It has been reported that ZEA at the dietary levels of 20 and 40 µg/kg bw in sexually immature gilts induced experimental hyperestrogenism and stimulated the proliferation of nearly all uterine wall tissues [ 13 ]. Our previous study also showed that ZEA at the dietary concentrations of 1.1 to 3.2 mg/kg increased genital organ size and hyperplasia of submucosal smooth muscles in the corpus uteri of gilts in a dose-dependent manner [ 14 ]. More recently, it has been observed that 1.04 mg/kg ZEA could promote the autocrine action or expression of the ghrelin gene and upregulation of the expression of the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) gene in ovary of gilt [ 15 ].…”