Zearalenone and the Immune Response

Zearalenone (ZEA) is an estrogenic fusariotoxin, being classified as a phytoestrogen, or as a mycoestrogen. ZEA and its metabolites are able to bind to estrogen receptors, 17β-estradiol specific receptors, leading to reproductive disorders which include low fertility, abnormal fetal development, reduced litter size and modification at the level of reproductive hormones especially in female pigs. ZEA has also significant effects on immune response with immunostimulatory or immunosuppressive results. This review presents the effects of ZEA and its derivatives on all levels of the immune response such as innate immunity with its principal component inflammatory response as well as the acquired immunity with two components, humoral and cellular immune response. The mechanisms involved by ZEA in triggering its effects are addressed. The review cited more than 150 publications and discuss the results obtained from in vitro and in vivo experiments exploring the immunotoxicity produced by ZEA on different type of immune cells (phagocytes related to innate immunity and lymphocytes related to acquired immunity) as well as on immune organs. The review indicates that despite the increasing number of studies analyzing the mechanisms used by ZEA to modulate the immune response the available data are unsubstantial and needs further works

Effect of a Diet Contaminated with Ochratoxin A at the Highest Level Allowed by Eu on the Inflammation and the Oxidative Stress in the Spleen of Weaned Piglets

Ochratoxins are fungal secondary metabolites produced during storage by fungus of the genera Aspergillus, mainly in tropical and warmer regions and by Penicillium verrucosum, in temperate and colder areas. The most commonly occurring and most toxic member is ochratoxin A (OTA). OTA has multiple toxicity, being nephrotoxic, genotoxic and immunotoxic. According to the Commission Recommendation no. 576/2006 concerning the presence of OTA in products intended for animal feeding, the maximum level admitted for OTA in complementary and complete feeding stuffs for pigs is 0.05ppm. However, these guidance values are only a recommendation, and the establishment of a legal regulation needs additional toxicological data issued from farm animal experiments. The aim of the present paper was to investigate the effect of the EU recommended OTA maximal tolerable feed concentration (0.05 mg/kg) on the spleen of weaned pigs

Yeast-Fermented Rapeseed Meal Extract Is Able to Reduce Inflammation and Oxidative Stress Caused by Escherichia coli Lipopolysaccharides and to Replace ZnO in Caco-2/HTX29 Co-Culture Cells

(1) The present study tested in vitro the capacity of a fermented rapeseed meal extract to reduce medicinal ZnO, which will be banned at the EU level from 2023 onwards because of its potential to cause environmental pollution and the development of Zn resistance in gut bacteria. Rapeseed meal could be an important ZnO substitute as it has antioxidant/radical scavenging properties due to its content of bioactive compounds (e.g., polyphenols). (2) Protein array and flow cytometry were used to detect apoptosis, oxidative stress production, and inflammatory and signaling-related molecules in Caco-2 and goblet HT29-MTX co-culture cells challenged with Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharides and treated with ZnO and FRSM. (3) LPS induced cell death (21.1% vs. 12.7% in control, p < 0.005); apoptosis (16.6%); ROS production; and overexpression of biomarkers related to inflammation (63.15% cytokines and 66.67% chemokines), oxidative stress, and signaling proteins when compared to untreated cells. ZnO was effective in counteracting the effect of LPS, and 73.68% cytokines and 91.67% of chemokines were recovered. FRSM was better at restoring normal protein expression for 78.94% of cytokines, 91.67% of chemokines, and 61.11% of signaling molecules. FRSM was able to mitigate negative effects of LPS and might be an alternative to ZnO in pig diets

Dietary Grape Seed Meal Bioactive Compounds Alleviate Epithelial Dysfunctions and Attenuates Inflammation in Colon of DSS-Treated Piglets

Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) are chronic inflammations associated with progressive degradation of intestinal epithelium and impairment of the local innate immune response. Restoring of epithelial integrity and of the mucosal barrier function, together with modulation of inflammatory and innate immune markers, represent targets for alternative strategies in IBD. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effects of a diet including 8% grape seed meal (GSM), rich in bioactive compounds (polyphenols, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), fiber) on the markers of colonic epithelial integrity, mucosal barrier function, pro-inflammatory, and innate immunity in DSS-treated piglets used as animal models of intestinal inflammation. Our results have demonstrated the beneficial effects of bioactive compounds from dietary GSM, exerted at three complementary levels: (a) restoration of the epithelial integrity and mucosal barrier reinforcement by modulation of claudins, Occludin (OCCL) and Zonula-1 (ZO-1) tight junction genes and proteins, myosin IXB (MYO9B) and protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTPN) tight junction regulators and mucin-2 (MUC2) gene; (b) reduction of pro-inflammatory MMP-2 (matrix metalloproteinase-2) and MMP-9 (matrix metalloproteinase-9) genes and activities; and (c) suppression of the innate immune TLR-2 (Toll-like receptor-2) and TLR-4 (Toll-like receptor-4) genes and attenuation of the expression of MyD88 (Myeloid Differentiation Primary Response 88)/MD-2 (Myeloid differentiation factor-2) signaling molecules. These beneficial effects of GSM could further attenuate the transition of chronic colitis to carcinogenesis, by modulating the in-depth signaling mediators belonging to the Wnt pathway

Identification of Myostatin gene polymorphism using PCR-RFLP for improving carcass meat evaluation of Teleorman Black Head lambs

The objective of this study was to identify Myostatin (MSTN) gene polymorphism using PCR RFLP technique in order to improve sheep meat evaluation. There are data which show that MSTN is an inhibitor of skeletal muscle growth and a mutation in gene leads to increased muscle mass. Therefore, it is considered as an appropriate candidate gene for carcass meat quality. Blood samples were collected from 105 Teleorman Black Head (TBH) lambs and DNA was extracted using, Wizard Genomic DNA Purification Kit. Polymorphism of MSTN was determined by PCR amplification followed by RFLP method using restriction enzyme Hae III. Based on results, two genotypes mm and Mm were identified. It was identified homozygous genotype mm which not carry this mutation with 16.67% and heterozygous genotype Mm with 83.33%. M allele frequency was 42% and for allele m was 58%. Observed and expected values of MSTN genotypes were found in Hardy Weinberg disequilibrium, after χ2 test was calculated. MM individuals who carry this mutation were not identified in the analysed herd. This may be due to an empirical selection of this breed leading to absence of this genotype. That is why further investigation on a high number of animals are necessary to discover this mutation correlated with meat quality in TBH sheep

Dietary Grape Seed Meal Bioactive Compounds Alleviate Epithelial Dysfunctions and Attenuates Inflammation in Colon of DSS-Treated Piglets

Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) are chronic inflammations associated with progressive degradation of intestinal epithelium and impairment of the local innate immune response. Restoring of epithelial integrity and of the mucosal barrier function, together with modulation of inflammatory and innate immune markers, represent targets for alternative strategies in IBD. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effects of a diet including 8% grape seed meal (GSM), rich in bioactive compounds (polyphenols, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), fiber) on the markers of colonic epithelial integrity, mucosal barrier function, pro-inflammatory, and innate immunity in DSS-treated piglets used as animal models of intestinal inflammation. Our results have demonstrated the beneficial effects of bioactive compounds from dietary GSM, exerted at three complementary levels: (a) restoration of the epithelial integrity and mucosal barrier reinforcement by modulation of claudins, Occludin (OCCL) and Zonula-1 (ZO-1) tight junction genes and proteins, myosin IXB (MYO9B) and protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTPN) tight junction regulators and mucin-2 (MUC2) gene; (b) reduction of pro-inflammatory MMP-2 (matrix metalloproteinase-2) and MMP-9 (matrix metalloproteinase-9) genes and activities; and (c) suppression of the innate immune TLR-2 (Toll-like receptor-2) and TLR-4 (Toll-like receptor-4) genes and attenuation of the expression of MyD88 (Myeloid Differentiation Primary Response 88)/MD-2 (Myeloid differentiation factor-2) signaling molecules. These beneficial effects of GSM could further attenuate the transition of chronic colitis to carcinogenesis, by modulating the in-depth signaling mediators belonging to the Wnt pathway

Identification of Myostatin gene polymorphism using PCR-RFLP for improving carcass meat evaluation of Teleorman Black Head lambs

The objective of this study was to identify Myostatin (MSTN) gene polymorphism using PCR RFLP technique in order to improve sheep meat evaluation. There are data which show that MSTN is an inhibitor of skeletal muscle growth and a mutation in gene leads to increased muscle mass. Therefore, it is considered as an appropriate candidate gene for carcass meat quality. Blood samples were collected from 105 Teleorman Black Head (TBH) lambs and DNA was extracted using, Wizard Genomic DNA Purification Kit. Polymorphism of MSTN was determined by PCR amplification followed by RFLP method using restriction enzyme Hae III. Based on results, two genotypes mm and Mm were identified. It was identified homozygous genotype mm which not carry this mutation with 16.67% and heterozygous genotype Mm with 83.33%. M allele frequency was 42% and for allele m was 58%. Observed and expected values of MSTN genotypes were found in Hardy Weinberg disequilibrium, after χ2 test was calculated. MM individuals who carry this mutation were not identified in the analysed herd. This may be due to an empirical selection of this breed leading to absence of this genotype. That is why further investigation on a high number of animals are necessary to discover this mutation correlated with meat quality in TBH sheep

Total polyphenols content, antioxidant activity and stability of a grape pomace incorporated in animal feed

Grape pomace (GP), resulting from wine making, is rich in antioxidant polyphenols originating from the input material, the grapes. Because of the high production volumes of grape pomace, environmental impact and nutritional content, new ways for its valorization are experimented. In order to incorporate it in animal feed (cow and pig), we determined its content in total polyphenols by the Folin Ciocalteu method, the antioxidant activity by the DPPH assay and its stability using the UV-Vis spectroscopy for different extraction media. In terms of total polyphenols the acetone extraction was the best (4667.1 mg GAE/100g sample) comparing with ethanol and water (2140.4 mg GAE/100g sample respectively 2083.9 mg GAE/100g sample), and the ruminal fluid (732.9 mg GAE/100g sample) and pepsin (712.2 mg GAE/100g sample). The highest antioxidant activity expressed as an antiradical activity against the DPPH radical, was registered for the acetone extract (32.8 μM Trolox Equivalents(TE)), followed by the ethanol (6.5 μM TE) and water extraction equal with pepsin extraction (4 μM TE), and the mixture of ruminal fluid (0.5 μM TE). The results show that even though the extraction of polyphenols in organic solvents is the best, when applied to the digestive media the situation changes. In both ruminal fluid and pepsin were measured almost the same amount of total polyphenols but the antioxidant activity was much lower in the ruminal fluid - 8 times lower. The UV-Vis spectroscopy shows that the acetone extract is stable over time when kept at – 20 ͦC

Total Polyphenols Content, Antioxidant Activity and Stability of a Grape Pomace Incorporated in Animal Feed

Grape pomace (GP), resulting from wine making, is rich in antioxidant polyphenols originating from the input material, the grapes. Because of the high production volumes of grape pomace, environmental impact and nutritional content, new ways for its valorization are experimented. In order to incorporate it in animal feed (cow and pig), we determined its content in total polyphenols by the Folin Ciocalteu method, the antioxidant activity by the DPPH assay and its stability using the UV-Vis spectroscopy for different extraction media. In terms of total polyphenols the acetone extraction was the best (4667.1 mg GAE/100g sample) comparing with ethanol and water (2140.4 mg GAE/100g sample respectively 2083.9 mg GAE/100g sample), and the ruminal fluid (732.9 mg GAE/100g sample) and pepsin (712.2 mg GAE/100g sample). The highest antioxidant activity expressed as an antiradical activity against the DPPH radical, was registered for the acetone extract (32.8 μM Trolox Equivalents(TE)), followed by the ethanol (6.5 μM TE) and water extraction equal with pepsin extraction (4 μM TE), and the mixture of ruminal fluid (0.5 μM TE). The results show that even though the extraction of polyphenols in organic solvents is the best, when applied to the digestive media the situation changes. In both ruminal fluid and pepsin were measured almost the same amount of total polyphenols but the antioxidant activity was much lower in the ruminal fluid-8 times lower. The UV-Vis spectroscopy shows that the acetone extract is stable over time when kept at–20 ͦC