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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Athens, Georgia » U.S. National Poultry Research Center » Toxicology & Mycotoxin Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #418321

Research Project: Strategies to Reduce Mycotoxin Contamination in Animal Feed and its Effect in Poultry Production Systems

Location: Toxicology & Mycotoxin Research

Title: Early biomarkers to detect subclinical exposure to multiple mycotoxins in broiler chickens

Author
item KAPPARI, LAHARIKA - University Of Georgia
item APPLEGATE, TODD - University Of Georgia
item Glenn, Anthony
item Bakre, Abhijeet
item Shanmugasundaram, Revathi

Submitted to: Toxins
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/17/2024
Publication Date: 12/24/2024
Citation: Kappari, L., Applegate, T.J., Glenn, A.E., Bakre, A.A., Shanmugasundaram, R. 2024. Early biomarkers to detect subclinical exposure to multiple mycotoxins in broiler chickens. Toxins. Toxins 2025, 17(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins17010001.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins17010001

Interpretive Summary: Mycotoxins are harmful substances produced by fungi that create significant problems for the poultry industry. Even small amounts of mycotoxins in chicken feed can cause health issues and cost the producers money. New tools are needed for early determination of mycotoxin exposure in chickens so that interventions can be applied, and financial losses can be avoided. When chickens are exposed to multiple mycotoxins, even in small amounts, it can harm their growth, gut health, and immune system. This study aimed to determine how low levels of different mycotoxins affect chicken health, blood, and gene expression over three weeks. The study also looked for ways to detect mycotoxins early. For example, by looking for changes in the liver and blood, as well as expression levels of certain genes. The results showed that 2.0 mg of mycotoxins on day 21 caused issues with chicken health, liver function, and blood chemistry. Further, changes in liver gene expression were observed after 14 days of exposure. The study suggests that testing liver function, gut health, and expression of certain genes could be “biomarkers” for early detection of exposure to mycotoxins.

Technical Abstract: Identifying early detection biomarkers of mycotoxin exposure in farm animals will provide an opportunity for early mycotoxin intervention. microRNAs (miRNAs) exhibit alterations before pathophysiological changes occur, making them desirable molecular biomarkers. The objective of this study was to identify serum enzyme concentrations and liver miRNAs as possible biomarkers for mycotoxin toxicity in broiler birds. This study focuses on using three mycotoxins: fumonisin B1(FB1), deoxynivalenol (DON), and zearalenone (ZEA). A total of 720 male Ross 708 broiler chicks were randomly distributed to six treatment groups in 6 replications. The Control group (T1) had the lowest concentration of mycotoxins and T6 had the highest concentration of mycotoxins. The experimental treatment groups were T1: Control group (basal diet containing 0.6 mg FB1 + 0.4 mg DON + 0.0 mg ZEA/kg diet), T2: 2.0 mg FB1 + 2.5 mg DON + 0.9 mg ZEA/kg diet, T3: 5.0 mg FB1 + 0.4 mg DON + 0.1 mg ZEA/kg diet, T4: 9.0 mg FB1 + 3.5 mg DON + 0.7 mg ZEA/kg diet, T5: 17.0 mg FB1 + 1.0 mg DON + 0.2 mg ZEA/kg diet and T6: 21.0 mg FB1+ 3.0 mg DON + 1.0 mg ZEA/kg diet. Birds in the T6 group had significantly decreased body weight gain (BWG) on d21 compared to the control group. On d14, birds in T6 had significant upregulation of the liver miRNAs gga-let-7a-5p (14.17-fold), gga-miR-9-5p (7.05-fold), gga-miR-217-5p (16.87-fold), gga-miR-133a-3p (7.41-fold), and gga-miR-215-5p (6.93-fold) compared to the control group. On day 21, birds in the T2 groups had significantly higher serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and serum creatine kinase (CK) concentrations, as well as increased gut permeability than the control group (P < 0.05). Birds in the T2 groups had 57% significantly lower phosphorus, 40% significantly higher total protein, 8% significantly lower glucose, and 50% significantly lower potassium concentrations in the serum than the control group. It can be concluded that serum phosphorus, total protein, glucose, and potassium, as well as the miRNAs gga-let-7a-5p, gga-miR-9-5p, gga-miR-217-5p, gga-miR-133a-3p, and gga-miR-215-5p, can be potential biomarkers to detect mycotoxin exposure as early as 14 days after exposure and at combined doses as low as 5 mg FB1+ 0.4 mg DON + 0.1 mg ZEA/kg diet. Keywords: Fumonisins, Deoxynivalenol, biomarker, broiler chickens