The genotoxicity of caecal water from gilts following experimentally induced Fusarium mycotoxicosis

The examination of caecal contents allows one to investigate the exposure of colon mucosa to dietary toxins and the chemical contaminants present in animal feed. The objective of the present study was to examine the influence of Fusarium mycotoxins (zearalenone, ZEN, and deoxynivalenol, DON), administered separately and as a mixture, on the genotoxicity of caecal water (CW) from gilts fed these mycotoxins. CW genotoxicity was evaluated with the comet assay using the LLC-PK1 porcine epithelial kidney cell line. It was shown that after the first week of the experiment, the presence of DON in animal feed led to increased CW genotoxicity in the proximal colon, while the presence of DON and ZEN + DON had a similar effect in the distal colon (ANOVA, P < 0.05). After the third week of experiment, elevated genotoxicity in the distal colon was observed for all experimental groups of gilts, and it was 62%, 52.4%, and 52.8% higher for ZEN-, DON-, and ZEN + DON-fed animals, respectively, than for control group animals. However, no effect on CW genotoxicity in the proximal colon was seen. After six weeks, the presence of ZEN in the proximal colon increased CW genotoxicity by 103% in comparison with the control group. In the distal colon, after the sixth week, CW genotoxicity in all groups of animals fed with mycotoxin was significantly (by 80% to 116%) higher than in the control group. ZEN and DON administered as a mixture did not lead to an increased genotoxicity compared to either agent administered separately. Generally, the mycotoxins clearly started to increase the genotoxicity of CW from the third week of administration.