Abstract
The objective of the current study was to evaluate the immunotoxic effects of deoxynivalenol (DON) in weaning piglets, and potential efficacy of a novel modified hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate (HSCAS) binder to detoxify DON toxicity. Four groups of 21-day-old male piglets (n = 7/group) were fed a control diet or diet adding 1.0 or 3.0 mg DON/kg, or 3.0 mg DON/kg plus 0.05% modified HSCAS for 4 weeks. Compared to the control, the DON diets reduced serum porcine circovirus antibody titer and the dermal hypersensitivity response to OVA at day 21 or 28. DON also induced focal necrosis and proliferation of cortical lymphocytes and apoptosis and increased the total antioxidant capacity and reduced protein carbonyl concentrations in thymus. DON increased thymus mRNA and(or) protein levels, cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10) and apoptosis-related genes (Caspase-3). Interestingly, the modified HSCAS mitigated the DON-induced alterations on serum antibody titer, and thymic histopathology, apoptosis, redox status, inflammation and apoptosis signaling. In conclusion, these findings help to explain the toxic effects and mechanisms of DON and demonstrated the modified HSCAS binder could be used to detoxify the toxicity of DON in weaning piglets.
Keywords: Deoxynivalenol, immune response, weaning pigs