Affiliation:
1. Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, China
Abstract
T-2 toxin is a trichothecene mycotoxin produced by fungi which are known to contaminate cereals, especially in wheat and corn. T-2 toxin is known to cause a range of toxic effects in humans and animals, including immunosuppression and carcinogenesis. Although the effects of T-2 toxin on condition of chickens’ spleens have been reported, there has been no systematic study of damage to the spleen of broiler chickens exposed to T-2 toxin. The purpose of the present study was to assess the effects of T-2 toxin on pathology, rates of apoptosis, oxidative stress, and T-lymphocyte subsets in the spleen of broiler chickens. One hundred and twenty male broiler chickens were randomly assigned to one of four groups (30 birds per group), fed 0 mg/kg (control), 0.5 mg/kg, 1 mg/kg, or 2 mg/kg T-2 toxin, respectively. After 21 days, chickens exposed to T-2 toxin demonstrated decreased relative weight and size of the spleen, increased percentage of apoptotic splenocytes, and evident lesions. Concentrations of reactive oxygen species and MDA content increased in splenocytes during T-2 toxin treatments, whereas activities of SOD, CAT, and GSH-PX decreased. The ratio of CD4+/CD8+ T cells also decreased as the dose of T-2 toxin increased. Overall, these results suggest that T-2 toxin causes oxidative stress, leading to increased rates of splenocyte apoptosis and might impair the splenic immune function of broiler chickens.
Funder
China Agriculture Research System
Subject
General Immunology and Microbiology,General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology,General Medicine
Cited by
18 articles.
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