The Effect of Aflatoxin-B1 on Red Drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) and Assessment of Dietary Supplementation of NovaSil for the Prevention of Aflatoxicosis

Toxins

Katherine E. Zychowski¹  Aline Rodrigues Hoffmann¹  Hoai J. Ly¹  Camilo Pohlenz²  Alejandro Buentello²  Amelia Romoser¹  Delbert M. Gatlin² 

[1] College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, TAMU 4458, College Station, TX 77843, USA; E-Mails:;Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Texas A&M University, 2258 TAMUS, College Station, TX 77843, USA; E-Mails:

关键词: red drum;    aflatoxin;    calcium montmorillonite;    NovaSil;    histopathology;    immune;   

DOI  :  10.3390/toxins5091555

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) is a potent carcinogen that causes growth stunting, immunosuppression and liver cancer in multiple species. The recent trend of replacing fishmeal with plant-based proteins in fish feed has amplified the AFB₁ exposure risk in farm-raised fish. NovaSil (NS), a calcium montmorillonite clay, has previously been shown to reduce AFB₁ bioavailability safely and efficaciously in several mammalian species. This study was designed to: (1) evaluate AFB₁ impact on cultured red drum, Sciaenops ocellatus, over the course of seven weeks; and (2) assess NS supplementation as a strategy to prevent aflatoxicosis. Fish were fed diets containing 0, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, or 5 ppm AFB₁. Two additional treatment groups were fed either 5 ppm AFB₁ + 1% NS or 5 ppm AFB₁ + 2% NS. Aflatoxin B₁ negatively impacted red drum weight gain, survival, feed efficiency, serum lysozyme concentration, hepatosomatic index (HSI), whole-body lipid levels, liver histopathological scoring, as well as trypsin inhibition. NovaSil inclusion in AFB₁-contaminated diets improved weight gain, feed efficiency, serum lysozyme concentration, muscle somatic index, and intraperitoneal fat ratios compared to AFB₁-treated fish. Although not significant, NS reduced AFB₁-induced histopathological changes in the liver and decreased Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA) staining. Importantly, NS supplementation improved overall health of AFB₁-exposed red drum.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2013 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.