Fumonisin B1 exposure and its selective effect on porcine jejunal segment:: Sphingolipids, glycolipids and trans-epithelial passage disturbance

Fumonisin B-1 (FB1) is a mycotoxin produced by Fusarium verticillioides, the cause of Fusarium kernel rot in maize. FB1 is toxic in domestic and laboratory animals, including pigs. This study investigated the effects of a seven-days-exposure of 1.5 mg/kgb.w. FBI on the porcine intestinal epithelium. Statistically significant increases in the ratio of sphinganine to sphingosine, as well as alterations of the glycolipid distribution were observed in the jejunum. Using a porcine intestinal epithelial cell line (IPEC-1) derived from jejunum and ileum, we tested the effect of FB1 in vitro in a time- and dose-dependent fashion. A significant increase in sphinganine concentration was observed after 2 days of FBI exposure at concentrations > 100 mu M, or from 6 days of FBI exposure at concentration > 20 mu M. We were also able to show that FBI exposure at 200 mu M during 16 days increased the intestinal trans-epithelial flux of FBI. These data indicate that, in pigs, this mycotoxin acts selectively on jejunum cells as follows: (i) FB1 affects sphingolipid metabolism, as demonstrated by an increase of the amount of free sphingoid bases in a time- and dose-dependent manner, (ii) a depletion of the glycolipids in plasma membranes is observed, and (iii) an increase occurs in the trans epithelial flux. (c) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.