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Title: THE EFFECT OF FUMONISIN B1 ON ISOLATED CHONDROCYTES AND ON BONE FORMATION

Author
item WU, WEIDONG - UNIV OF WI
item LI, GUOYU - UNIV OF WI
item LIU, TIANXING - UNIV OF WI
item Vesonder, Ronald

Submitted to: Poultry Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/24/1995
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Skeleton problems in chickens (poultry) is a disease of concern to those producing poultry for human consumption. Scientists studying skeletal problems of affected young chickens think one possible cause may be a toxin produced by a fungus which grows on corn before it is harvested. Here, we investigated a toxin that is common on corn called fumonisin. It was found fumonisin did not cause poultry skeletal problems. This information should be useful to those working on abnormal skeletal problems in chickens.

Technical Abstract: Toxic effects of fumonisin B1 (FB1) were observed with cultured chondrocytes isolated from epiphyseal growth plates and with growing broiler chicks. Viability of chondrocytes was reduced after 48 h exposure to FB1, and half lethal concentration of FB1 was estimated to be greater than 250 uM. Increase in cell size was inhibited by as low as 25 uM FB1. Dietary inclusion of fumonisins (55 and 110 ppm) caused a reduction in body weight, increase in liver weight, and decrease in feed efficiency (P<.05). However, diarrhea and bone malformation were not observed. It is concluded that fumonisin by itself is not sufficient to cause skeletal problems in poultry.