Further insight into the potential toxicity of zearalenone-14-glucoside based on toxicokinetics, tissue distribution, transformation, and excretion in rats

• Published in: Ecotoxicology and environmental safety 2022-11, Vol.246, p.114184-114184, Article 114184
• Main Authors: Lu, Qian, Sui, Ming, Luo, Ya-Wen, Luo, Jiao-Yang, Yang, Mei-Hua
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biotransformation; Excretion; Tissue distribution; Toxicokinetic; UHPLC-q-trap-MS/MS; Zearalenone-14-Glucoside
• ISSN: 0147-6513; 1090-2414
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.114184

Bioaccumulation and biotransformation are critical factors that affect the release of easily metabolizable chemicals to cause human toxicity. The glucoside-type modified mycotoxin Zearalenone-14-Glucoside (Z14G) has attracted global attention for its high occurrence in foodstuffs and the potential threat to humans as its high rate of transformation into parent forms. Given the limited toxicokinetics information, this study assessed the absorption, distribution, biotransformation and excretion of Z14G, aiming to define the potential risk of Z14G. The toxicokinetics of Z14G were assessed after intravenous (IV) or oral administration (PO) in SD rats at doses of 10 mg/kg·b.w. In addition, comparative work with the parent mycotoxin ZEN was performed in parallel. The determination of Z14G and its metabolites (ZEN, α-zearalenol, β-zearalenol, α-zearalanol, β-zearalanol) proceeded with a sensitive UHPLC-MS/MS method. Our research indicated that Z14G readily disappeared from the blood, and distributed throughout the tissues via transformation into its parent form ZEN, and excreted primarily through urine. More importantly, the metabolite α-ZEL was observed in most analyzed tissue, urine and feces samples. Overall, our findings highlight the importance of biotransformation with regard to Z14G, providing critical insight for the health risk assessment of co-exposure of humans to glucoside-type modified mycotoxins. [Display omitted] •First evidence of tissue distribution, biotransformation and excretion of Z14G in rats.•Toxicokinetics of Z14G and ZEN were compared after intravenous and oral administration in SD rats•Z14G was quickly hydrolyzed into ZEN in rats and then distributed to different tissues.•ZEN and α-ZEL were the most detected forms in the urine, feces, and tissues of rats.