Physiological responses of carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) to dietary exposure to zearalenone (ZEN)

Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol. 2016 Oct:188:52-9. doi: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2016.06.004. Epub 2016 Jun 25.

Abstract

Zearalenone (ZEN) is a frequent contaminant of animal feeds, but systemic effects on fish and possible metabolic costs have not yet been investigated. In order to fill this gap a feeding trial with juvenile carp was conducted. The fish were fed ZEN-contaminated diets at three concentrations (low: 332μgkg(-1), medium: 621μgkg(-1), and high: 797μgkg(-1) final feed, respectively) for four weeks. Possible reversible effects of ZEN were evaluated by feeding an additional group with the mycotoxin for four weeks period and the uncontaminated diet for further two weeks. After that possible ZEN effects on enzyme activities in kidney, spleen, liver and muscle tissue were investigated to get an organism-wide aspect of ZEN effects. Most organs appeared to (over)compensate ZEN effects during the exposure to this mycotoxin, which caused metabolic costs. Oxygen consumption increased in fish treated with the two higher ZEN concentrations via the diet. The differences between the treatments persisted also after the recovery phase of two weeks. Thus, the present study provided evidence of effects of ZEN on carbohydrate metabolism, lipid peroxidation in organs and metabolic oxygen demand. This is the first evidence for increased metabolic costs in a fish species due to exposure to the mycotoxin ZEN.

Keywords: Aquaculture; Carp; Metabolic costs; Mycotoxin; Physiological stress.

MeSH terms

  • Animal Feed*
  • Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
  • Animals
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Carps / blood
  • Carps / metabolism*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Energy Metabolism / drug effects*
  • Food Contamination*
  • Kidney / drug effects
  • Kidney / enzymology
  • Lipid Peroxidation / drug effects
  • Liver / drug effects
  • Liver / enzymology
  • Muscles / drug effects
  • Muscles / enzymology
  • Oxygen Consumption / drug effects
  • Risk Assessment
  • Spleen / drug effects
  • Spleen / enzymology
  • Time Factors
  • Zearalenone / toxicity*

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Zearalenone