Effects Of Naturally Mycotoxin-contaminated Corn On The Pathological Changes In Chickens

Abstract:The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of naturally contaminated-corn on pathological changes, cell cycle, apoptosis and T lymphocytes subsets of spleen. Three hundred and sixty1-day-old cobb male chickens were randomly divided into2groups. The control group was fed on normal diet. The diets of experimental group were formulated with naturally mould corn. The detection results showed that the concentration of AFB1and AFB2in experimental diets was82.4μg/kg and14.2μg/kg respectively in the1-21day period and the concentration of AFB1and AFB2in experimental diets was134.0μg/kg and23.6μg/kg respectively in the22-42day period. The contents of mycotoxins including AFG1, AFG2, DON, ZEA, OTA, T-2toxin, FB1were below the limit of detection. The results were as follow:①The spleen of chickens in experimental group was pale with increase volume. The weight and the relative weight of spleen were increased. Histopathologically, congestion of splenic red pulp and increased apoptotic splenic cells were observed in the experimental group. The character of ultrastructural changes was mitochondria swelling and increased apoptotic blasmocytes with condensed nuclei.②Cell cycle analysis by flow cytometry showed that the percentage of S phase cells was lower, the percentage of G2M phase was higher at21days of age, and the percentage of G0G1phase was higher, the percentage of G2M phase and proliferation index were lower at42days of age, when compared with control group.③Annexin V-FITC stain method showed that the percentage of apoptotic splenocytes was significant increased at21days of age. TUNEL assay showed that there were increased frequencies of apoptotic splenocytes in the experimental group.④As measured by flow cytometry, the percentage of CD3+T lymphocytes was decreased at21days of age when compared with that of control group. The above-mentioned results suggested that corn naturally contaminated with AFB1and AFB2induced obvious splenic pathological lesions and the decrease of CD3T lymphocytes in chickens. Its mechanism was related to the blockage of splenic cell cycle and the increase of apoptotic splenocytes.