Toxicokinetics and metabolism of deoxynivalenol in animals and humans

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is the most widespread mycotoxin in food and feedstuffs, posing a persistent health threat to humans and farm animals. The susceptibilities of DON vary significantly among animals, following the order of pigs, mice/rats and poultry from the most to least susceptible. However, no study comprehensively disentangles factors shaping species-specific sensitivity. In this review, the toxicokinetics and metabolism of DON are summarized in animals and humans. Generally, DON is fast-absorbed and widely distributed in multiple organs. DON is first enriched in the plasma, liver and kidney and subsequently accumulates in the intestine. There are also key variations among animals. Pigs and humans are highly sensitive to DON, and they have similar absorption rates (1 h < t(max) < 4 h), high bioavailability (> 55%) and long clearance time (2 h < t(1/2) < 4 h). Also, both species lack detoxification microorganisms and mainly depend on liver glucuronidation and urine excretion. Mice and rats have similar toxicokinetics (t(max) < 0.5 h, t(1/2) < 1 h). However, a higher proportion of DON is excreted by feces as DOM-1 in rats than in mice, suggesting an important role of gut microbiota in rats. Poultry is least sensitive to DON due to their fast absorption rate (t(max) < 1 h), low oral bioavailability (5-30%), broadly available detoxification gut microorganisms and short clearance time (t(1/2) < 1 h). Aquatic animals have significantly slower plasma clearance of DON than land animals. Overall, studies on toxicokinetics provide valuable information for risk assessment, prevention and control of DON contamination.

Automated summary

This review summarizes the toxicokinetics and metabolism of deoxynivalenol (DON) in animals and humans. Different animals show varying levels of sensitivity to DON, with pigs and humans being the most sensitive. The toxicokinetics of DON differ among species, with pigs and humans having similar absorption rates, bioavailability, and clearance time. Mice and rats have similar toxicokinetics, while poultry is the least sensitive due to their fast absorption rate and detoxification capabilities. Studies on toxicokinetics provide valuable information for risk assessment and control of DON contamination.