Abstract
To comparatively determine the levels of aflatoxin (AF) B1 in feedstuffs and of AFM1 in milk from semiarid industrial cattle farms in northeastern Iran during four seasons and to elucidate the effects of mixed AFB1 and AFM1 on bovine granulocytes, 72 feedstuffs (concentrate, silage, and totally mixed ration (TMR)) and 200 bulk milk samples were simultaneously collected for ELISA-based AFs detection. Isolated blood and milk neutrophils (n=8/treatment) were also preincubated with mix of 10 ng/ml AFB1 and 10 ng/ml AFM1 for 12 h; the impact was assessed on neutrophils functions. AFB1 levels in feedstuffs averaged 28 μg/kg (4–127 μg/kg), with TMR maximal (38±6.3 μg/kg), concentrate (32±6.5 μg/kg), and silage (16±1.5 μg/kg). The levels of AFB1 and AFM1 in feedstuffs and milk averaged 42±9.3, 27±2.8, 26±4.1, and 18.5±2.8 μg/kg and 85±7.3, 62±6.1, 46±6.2, and 41±6.5 ppb μg/kg in winter (maximal), autumn, spring, and summer, respectively. Mix of AFB1 and AFM1 weakened various functions of granulocytes. It adds new reason why during winter semiarid raised food-producing animals show more immune-incompetence.
Highlights
Aflatoxins (AFs) are highly carcinogenic and immunotoxic secondary metabolites produced mainly by Aspergillus (A) flavus and A. parasiticus in feed/foods [1,2,3,4]
With EU’s tolerable levels for AFB1 in feed (2–8 μg/kg) and AFM1 in milk (0.05 μg/kg) and Iran’s permissible AFB1 in feed (5–20 μg/kg) and foods (5–15 μg/kg) and AFM1 in milk [(0.5 μg/kg, kg is equal to liter in case Journal of Food Quality
AFB1 and AFM1 were obtained from Sigma and prepared according to Mehrzad et al [2], with some modification (i.e., AFM1 was directly dissolved in DPBS); they were separately but simultaneously added, at a final concentration of 0 and 20 ng/ml (10 ng/ml AFM1 plus 10 ng/ml AFB1) to the PMN cultured in complete RPMI 1640 medium (12 h, 37∘C, 95% humidity, 5% CO2)
Summary
Aflatoxins (AFs) are highly carcinogenic and immunotoxic secondary metabolites produced mainly by Aspergillus (A) flavus and A. parasiticus in feed/foods [1,2,3,4]. Inappropriate environmental condition leading to the formation of aflatoxigenic molds varies and could be maximal during harsh seasons [7,8,9,10]. Pivotally food animals increasingly consume aflatoxigenic mold-contaminated feed, worldwide [5, 7, 10]. Advanced analytical methods on AFB1/M1 detection have revealed that even in Europe AFs routinely circulate in the body of food-producing animals and humans through feed/foods [12, 13]. Hydroxylated AFB1 metabolite (AFM1) is as carcinogen as AFB1 and bioaccumulates everywhere (meat, milk, etc.) in vivo [5, 14, 15]
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