Abstract
The growing interest in toxic substances combined with advancements in biological sciences has shed a new light on the problem of mycotoxins contaminating feeds and foods. An interdisciplinary approach was developed by identifying dose-response relationships in key research concepts, including the low dose theory of estrogen-like compounds, hormesis, NOAEL dose, compensatory response and/or food tolerance, and effects of exposure to undesirable substances. The above considerations increased the researchers’ interest in risk evaluation, namely: (i) clinical symptoms associated with long-term, daily exposure to low doses of a toxic compound; and (ii) dysfunctions at cellular or tissue level that do not produce clinical symptoms. Research advancements facilitate the extrapolation of results and promote the use of novel tools for evaluating the risk of exposure, for example exposure to zearalenone in pre-pubertal female dogs. The arguments presented in this paper suggest that low doses of zearalenone in commercial feeds stimulate metabolic processes and increase weight gains. Those processes are accompanied by lower proliferation rates in the ovaries, neoangiogenesis and vasodilation in the ovaries and the uterus, changes in the steroid hormone profile, and changes in the activity of hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases. All of the above changes result from exogenous hyperestrogenizm.
Highlights
IntroductionAge-related changes in the reproductive system of female dogs should be analyzed from the moment of sexual maturation when reproductive organs become exposed to various risk factors including undesirable substances, such as ZEN which is ingested with commercial feed
This review paper was motivated by the need to address problems that surfaced in our previous research into pre-pubertal female dogs exposed to zearalenone (ZEN)
Our aim was to explain whether the observed changes in the health status of animals are indicative of mycotoxicosis or result merely from the exposure to undesirable substances
Summary
Age-related changes in the reproductive system of female dogs should be analyzed from the moment of sexual maturation when reproductive organs become exposed to various risk factors including undesirable substances, such as ZEN which is ingested with commercial feed. Zearalenone penetrates the intestinal wall, enters the bloodstream and is distributed throughout the body where it can provoke various changes, not always pathological, or remain neutral [28], subject to the dose In the intestines, this mycotoxin undergoes biological transformations, and those processes can begin already in the plant to produce compounds more toxic than the parent substance [4]. The aim of this review article is to present the effects of endogenous and/or exogenous steroid compounds on animals, documented by histological, immunohistochemical and endocrinological studies, to evaluate the influence of ZEN and its metabolites on ovarian and uterine function in pre-pubertal female dogs
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
