Determination of aflatoxin B1 metabolites in kidneys of pigs fed rations containing aflatoxin, antioxidants and adsorbent, alone or in combination

• Grant number: 15/03900-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: May 01, 2015
• End date: June 30, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Carlos Augusto Fernandes de Oliveira
• Grantee: Mayra Carraro Di Gregorio
• Supervisor: George E. Rottinghaus
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos (FZEA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Pirassununga , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of Missouri, Columbia (UM), United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 12/12705-6 - Determination of aflatoxin B1 biomarkers and its applicability for evaluation of adsorbents efficiency in pigs, BP.DD

Abstract

Aflatoxins (AF) are carcinogenic compounds produced by fungi of the genus Aspergillus, which contaminate food before and after processing, resulting in risks to human health and economic losses in animal production. Exposure to aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), metabolite with greater toxicity produced by the fungus and frequently observed in Brazil, occurs predominantly through ingestion of contaminated foods and feeds. After oral uptake, AFB1 is efficiently absorbed and metabolized by hepatic microsomal enzymes before fecal and urinary excretion. Although kidneys are not the principal target for AFB1, they also considered as vulnerable organ. Several compounds are being studied on the level of protection against AF. Mineral adsorbents (such as hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate) and organic compounds (such as curcumin) are being studied to alleviate the toxic effects of AFB1. On the other hand, the theracurcumin is a novel compound which, until now, only been tested for their anti-cancer activity. The objective of this project is evaluate by LC-MS the AFB1 metabolites found in kidneys of pigs that have been fed rations containing aflatoxin, curcumin, theracurcumin and adsorbent, singly or in combination in a previous experiment. Sixty pigs (7.91 ± 1.1 kg BW) were randomly assigned to 10 treatments: 1) Control (BD); 2) BD+Theracurcumin (200 ppm); 3) BD+Curcumin (200 ppm); 4) BD+AF (1 ppm); 5) BD+Theracurcumin+AF; 6) BD+Curcumin+AF; 7) BD+adsorbent (0.50%); 8) BD+AF; 9) BD+0.25% adsorbent +AF; and 10) BD+0.50% adsorbent +AF.The accesses to feed and water were ad libitum. After 26 d of experiment, all pigs were killed and the kidneys were obtained. Initially, the available method for residues AFB1 and its metabolites in kidney will be tested and optimized. Extraction and quantification methods will be validated at Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Lab in University of Missouri - United States, under supervision of Dr. George Rottinghaus, for further implementation in the Laboratory of Food Microbiology and Mycotoxicology LMMA/FZEA/USP - Pirassununga/Brazil. (AU)