Abstract
Two-hundred guinea pigs, weighing approximately 500 grams each, were placed in 8 groups, 4 of which received 20 μg/kg/day of partially purified aflatoxin for 7 days, followed by a 7 day recovery period. Paired groups then received 0,20,35 or 50 μg/kg/day of partially purified aflatoxin for 21 days. Animals were sacrificed periodically from all groups and blood was drawn for chemical and immunologic analysis. Weight gains were recorded and histopathologic studies were done on all animals. Pretreatment did not protect guinea pigs from a second exposure, and in fact enhanced mortality and liver toxicity as determined by histopathology. Serum chemistries and immunologic parameters of guinea pigs dosed twice were less conclusive, as neither high nor low doses differed from guinea pigs treated once. Glycocholic acid concentrations were more sensitive than traditional enzymes (aspartate and alanine amino transferase, alkaline phosphatase) for indicating hepatotoxicity.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aller WJ Jr, Edds GT, Asquith RL. Effects of aflatoxins on young ponies. Am J Vet Res 1981; 42:2162–2164.
Baetz AE, McLoughlin ME. Serum concentrations of bile acids in guinea pigs as an indicator of liver damage caused by aflatoxicosis. Am J Vet Res 1983; 44:1971–1972.
Barnes S, Gallo GA, Trash DB, Morris JS. Diagnostic value of serum bile acid estimations in liver disease. J Clin Pathol 1975; 28:506–509.
Carnaghan RBA, Hartley RD, O'Kelly J. Toxicity and fluorescence properties of the aflatoxins. Nature 1963; 200:1101.
Chinnice JP, Gunst K, Llewellyn GC. Effects of mycotoxin pretreatment on aflatoxin B1 post-treatment toxicity in Drosophila melanogaster (Diptera). J of Invert Pathol 1983; 41:321–327.
Degen GH, Neumann HG. The major metabolite of aflatoxin B1 in the rat is a glutathione conjugate. Chem Biol Interact 1978; 22:239–255.
Gurtoo HL. Genetic expression of aflatoxin B1 metabolism: effect of 3-methylcholanthrene and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin on the metabolism of aflatoxin B1 and B2 by various inbred strains of mice. Mol Pharmacol 1980; 18:296–303
Gurtoo HL, Dahms RP: Effects of inducers and inhibitors on the metabolism of aflatoxin B1 by rat and mouse. Biochem Pharmacol 1979; 28:3441–3449.
Hofmann AF. The enterohepatic circulation of bile acids in man. In: Stollerman GH, Harrington WJ, Kirsner JB, Kossman CE, Siperstein MD, eds. Adv Int Med, Vol 21. Chicago: Year Book Medical Publishers, Inc, 501–534.
Jones RL, Buening GM. Brucella abortus antigen-induced lymphocyte reactivity in guinea pigs. Vet Immunol Immunopathol 1983; 4:433–443.
Judah DJ, Legg RF, Nea GE. Development of resistance to cytotoxicity during aflatoxin carcinogenesis. Nature (London) 1977; 265:343–345.
Kaneene JMB, Johnson DW, Anderson RK, Muscoplat CC. Comparison of sensitivity and specificity of purified lymphocyte and whole-blood in vitro lymphocyte stimulation assays in detection of Brucella abortus infection in cattle. J Clin Microbiol 1978; 8:396–401.
Kaplowitz N, Kok E, Javitt NB. Postprandial serum bile acid for the detection of hepatobiliary disease. J Am Med Assoc 1973; 225:292–294.
Loury DN, Hsieh DPH: Effects of chronic exposure to aflatoxin B1 and aflatoxin M1 on the in vivo covalent binding of aflatoxin B1 to hepatic macromolecules. J Toxicol Environ Health 1984; 13:575–587.
Metcalfe SA, Colley PJ, Neal GE. A comparison of the effects of pretreatment with phenobarbitone and 3-methylcholanthrene on the metabolism of aflatoxin B1 by rat liver microsomes and isolated hepatocytes in vitro. Chem-Biol Interact 1981; 35:145–157.
Neal GE, Green JA. The requirement for glutathione-S- transferase in the conjugation of activated aflatoxin B1 during aflatoxin hepatocarcinogenesis in the rat. Chem Biol Interactions 1983; 45:259–275.
Neal GE, Metcalfe SA, Legg RF, Judah DJ, Green JA. Mechanism of the resistance to cytotoxicity which precedes aflatoxin B1 hepatocarcinogenesis. Carcinogenesis 1981; 2:457–461.
Paul PS, Johnson DW, Mirocha CJ, Soper FF, Thoen CO, Muscoplat CC, Weber AF. In vitro stimulation of bovine peripheral blood lymphocytes: Suppression of phytomitogen and specific antigen lymphocyte responses by aflatoxin. Am J Vet Res 1977, 2033–2035.
Pier AC, Fichtner RF, Cysewski SJ. Effects of aflatoxin on the cellular immune system. Ann Nuer Alim 1977; 31:781–788.
Richard JL, Cysewski SJ. Occurrence of aflatoxin producing strains of Aspergillus flavus Link in stored corn. Mycopathol et Mycol Appl 1971; 44:221–229.
Richard JL, Peden WM, Thurston JR, Stubblefield RD, Fichtner RE. Effects of aflatoxins B1 and G, alone and in combination on guinea pigs. In: Kurata H, Ueno Y, eds. Toxigenic fungi — Their toxins and health hazard. Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd, 1984: 265–271.
Schabort JC, Steyn M. Substrate and phenobarbital induci- ble aflatoxin-4-hydroxylation and aflatoxin metabolism by rat liver microsomes. Biochem Pharmacol 1969; 18:2241–2252.
Schabort JC, Steyn M. Aflatoxin B1 and phenobarbital inducible aflatoxin-Δ2-hydroxylation by rat liver microsomes. Biochem Pharmacol 1972; 21:2931–2933.
Thurston JR, Richard JL, Cysewski SJ, et al. Effect of aflatoxin on complement activity in guinea pigs. Proc Soc Exptl Biol Med 1972; 138:300–303.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Peden, W.M., Richard, J.L., Thurston, J.R. et al. Effects of pre-treatment with aflatoxin on a second aflatoxin treatment in guinea pigs. Mycopathologia 99, 107–114 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00436914
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00436914