Effect Of Fusarium Toxins On Hematological Values, Development Of Reproductive Organs, And Expression Of Estrogen Receptor Genes In Post-weaning Gilts

The aims of the present study were to investigate the effect of Fusarium toxins on vulva size, serum metabolites, hematological values, oxidative stress and the reproductive organs in post-weaning gilts. It provides the theoretical foundation in pig production based on the analysis of serum metabolites, oxidative stress,, hematologic indexes, vulva size, reproductive organ index, transcription and expression of estrogen receptor genes according to the feeding experiment The subject is divided into two experiments.Experiment 1: Changes of vulva size, serum metabolites, oxidative stress and hematological values in post-weaning gilts challenged with Fusarium toxin-contaminated dietsA total of 15 healthy post-weaning gilts(Duroc×LargeWhite×Landrace) with an average body weight of 9.59±0.79(mean±SD) kg were used in the study.Gilts were randomly allocated into 3 treatments and fed individually in a metabolic cage for 15 d after 7 d adaptation. Control group fed a basal diet, and 50% [Zenralenone(ZEN), 0.90; deoxynivalenol(DON), 1.43; Fumonisins(FUM), 5.85 mg/kg] or 100%(ZEN, 1.69; DON, 2.03; FUM, 9.05 mg/kg) Fusarium toxins groups were the basal diet in which maize and corn gluten meal were replaced by 50% or 100% Fusarium toxins contaminated maize and corn gluten meal, respectively.(Results) Results showed that vulva area in both 50% and 100% Fusarium toxins groups increased significantly(P<0.05) on 6 d of the test compared with the control. The linear slope of vulva area and the length, width, area of vulva of 50% and 100% Fusarium toxins treatment increased significantly(P<0.05) on 15 d of the test. Compared with the control, 100% Fusarium toxins challenged treatment increased(P<0.05) serum cholesterol and urea on both 8 d and 15 d, while only increased cholesterol and urea on 15 d was observed in 50% Fusarium toxins challenged treatment(P<0.05). Serum glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px) and total superoxide dismutase(SOD) were increased(P<0.05) in 50% and 100% Fusarium toxins treatment on both 8 d and 15 d compared with the control, but the malondialdehyde(MDA) concentrations was on the contrary(P<0.05). What’s more, both 50% and 100% Fusarium toxins groups increased platelets and decreased leukocytes significantly. Experiment 2: Effects of Fusarium toxins on development of reproductive organs, and expression of estrogen receptor genes in post-weaning giltsA total of 50 healthy post-weaning gilts(Duroc×LargeWhite×Landrace) with an average body weight of 8.45±0.94(mean±SD) kg were used in the study. Gilts were randomly allocated into 2 treatments with 20 in control group and 30 in Fusarium toxins group. Control group fed a basal diet, and experimental group were exposed to feed naturally contaminated with Fusarium toxins(ZEN, 0.90 mg/kg; DON, 1.43 mg/kg; FUM, 5.85 mg/kg) for 35 d after 7 d adaptation. The results showed that Fusarium toxins could increase the area of vulva and the weigh of uterus in post-weaning gilts(P<0.05), and the edema of vulva in Fusarium toxins treatment was observed significantly. Fusarium toxins could induce endometrial epithelial squamous metaplasia, the hyperplasia of endometrial glandular and myometrium compared with the control. Invasion of huge amounts of eosinophil, hyperemia serious existed in ovaries and a large number of follicular atresia were observed in the Fusarium toxins group. There was a higher intensity of immunohistochemical staining for ERα in endometrial glandular epithelial cell and all sizes of growth follicles(along with weaker staining in the interstitial cells). Compared with the control, ERβ was expressed not only in smooth muscle cells and arteriolar endothelial cells, but also in interstitial cells of uterus and ovaries. What’s more, Fusarium toxins increased the mRNA of ERα and ERβ in uterus and ovaries(P <0.05).To sum up, this study provides evidence that feeding of Fusarium toxins-contaminated diet to post-weaning gilts significantly increased the vulva size on 6 d, and serum metabolites and oxidative stress were significantly changed on 8 d of the test. We also found that Fusarium toxins have serious deleterious effect on reproductive organs. The effects of Fusarium toxins on the development of reproductive organs in post-weaning gilts were mediated through changing the mRNA transcription and expression of ERs genes in the reproductive organs.