engleski

Fumonisin B1-induced apopotosis in rat liver: Morphometrical study

Fumonisins are a family of mycotoxins produced by Fusarium sp. (mostly F. moniliforme and F. proliferatum). Exposure to fumonisins is associated with a variety of adverse health effects in domestic and experimental animals. Among more than 10 types of fumonisins, the most prevalent and the most toxic is fumonisin B1 (FB1). Apoptosis is a programmed cell death characterized by a cytoplasmic shrinkage and condensation of chromatin in nucleus. The aim of this study was to assess whether low doses of FB1 induce apoptosis in rat liver at different lag time after treatment. Adult, male Wister rats (6 per group) were given single oral dose of FB1 (5, 50, and 500 &#956; g/kg b.w. dissolved in sterile saline) and sacrificed 4, 24, and 48 hours afterwards. Control animals were given sterile saline or Fe-NTA. Whole liver was fixed in formalin, routinely processed, and embedded with paraplast. Sections of 4 &micro ; ; ; m were stained with hematoxyllin and eosin (HE). Number of hepatocytes undergoing apoptosis was determined by counting 500 cells (computer software Lucia G 4.81) in 25-50 randomly selected microscopic fields of vision (microscope Nikon Eclipse E600). Data were presented as mean with standard deviation, median, minimum and maximum values, and geometrical mean. Possible differences in treatment and control groups were evaluated using t-test. Probability values of P<0.05 were considered statistically significant. Microscopic examination revealed extensive changes in the rat liver. The number of hepatocytes in apoptosis and of apoptotic bodies was dose-related. Changes in histological structures were found throughout the lobules of all FB1 treated rats, but the apoptotic cells were predominant in perilobular region. These results may be explained by the direction of blood flow in lobe from perilobular towards centrilobular part with consequent primary and more extensive damage in perilobular region. In conclusion, all applied doses of FB1 caused changes in liver morphology irrespectively of the time of sacrifice indicating that even such low doses may be toxic for animals and humans.

fumonisin B1; apoptotic bodies; experimental animals

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