Abstract
BackgroundIn countries around the Baltic Sea grazing ruminants have access to and drink, surface water from lakes, rivers and in several coastal regions. The water quality of these naturally occurring reservoirs affects performance and health of livestock. In the Baltic Sea both microcystin (MC) and nodularin (NOD) occurs as cyclic peptides and have hepatotoxic effects. Although cattle obviously have died after consuming contaminated water very little information is available as to how susceptible ruminants are to the toxins produced by cyanobacteria. The critical question as to whether the rumen microflora might constitute a protective shield is unresolved. For this reason our aim is to investigate a possible degradation rate of these toxins in rumen.ResultsThe ability of rumen microorganisms to degrade certain important cyanotoxins (MC-LR, YR, RR and NOD) was studied in vitro by incubating with rumen fluid at three different concentrations (0.05, 0.5 and 5 μg/mL) for 3 h. The degradation efficiencies were determined by LC-MS (ESI) positive mode. Degradation was observed in the following order MC-RR 36%, NOD 35%, MC-RR 25% and MC-LR 8.9% at lower concentrations within 3 h. However, average degradation was observed at concentration of 0.5 μg/mL. No degradation was observed in higher concentrations for entire 3 h. The present results reveal that the degradation was both dose and time dependent.ConclusionsIn conclusion the present results suggest that the rumen microbial flora may protect ruminants from being intoxicated by Cyanotoxins.
Highlights
In countries around the Baltic Sea grazing ruminants have access to and drink, surface water from lakes, rivers and in several coastal regions
The degradation of MC-YR was shown to be dose dependent, with the highest percentage of degradation observed at low concentration (0.05 μg/mL); where as a substantial degradation was recorded for NOD with a maximum degradation of 35% (P < 0.05) at 0.05 μg/mL
An average degradation was observed against MC-RR with rumen fluid as 25% at 0.05 μg/mL when compared with other three cyanotoxins
Summary
In countries around the Baltic Sea grazing ruminants have access to and drink, surface water from lakes, rivers and in several coastal regions. In the Baltic Sea both microcystin (MC) and nodularin (NOD) occurs as cyclic peptides and have hepatotoxic effects. Toxins produced by cyanobacteria pose a worldwide threat to humans and animals due to their widespread occurrence in both fresh and sea waters [1,2]. Some freshwater strains of the Microcystis, Oscillatoria, Anabaena, and Nostoc species produce toxic compounds, termed microcystins (MCs) and nodularins (NODs) [3]. MCs are potent hepatotoxins [3] and tumor promoters [6] They inhibit protein phosphatases 1 and Animal exposure via drinking water contaminated with cyanobacteria was documented as early as 130 years ago [15]. Worldwide the largest blooms of the toxin producing Nodularia spumigena mass events were recorded in the Baltic Sea [19]
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