Urinary zearalenone measured with ELISA as a biomarker of zearalenone exposure in pigs

• Published in: Mycotoxin research 2014-11, Vol.30 (4), p.187-190
• Main Authors: Gutzwiller, A, Gafner, J. L, Silacci, P
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers; Biomarkers - analysis; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Chemistry/Food Science; creatinine; cross reaction; diet; enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay - methods; Feeds; Food industries; Food toxicology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; gilts; Hogs; Life Sciences; Medical Microbiology; Medical sciences; Medicine/Public Health; Microbiology; Original Paper; Plant poisons toxicology; Swine; Toxicology; urinalysis; Urine; Urine - chemistry; zearalenone; Zearalenone - analysis
• ISSN: 0178-7888; 1867-1632
• DOI: 10.1007/s12550-014-0198-y

The suitability to assess zearalenone (ZEA) exposure in pigs of a commercial ELISA kit for ZEA analysis in urine was tested. A daily dose of 0, 5, 10, 20 and 40 μg synthetic ZEA per kilogram BW was administered via the feed to four gilts per dose group, and after 3 and after 7 days of ZEA intake, urine samples were assayed with the ELISA which has a relative cross-reactivity of 42 % with α-zearalenol. The concentration of urinary ZEA equivalents (ZEA plus 42 % of α-zearalenol present) did not differ between day 4 and day 8 (P = 0.50) within each dose group. The urinary ZEA equivalent/creatinine ratio was tightly correlated with ZEA intake (r = 0.95). The urinary ZEA equivalent/creatinine values at 0 and 40 μg/kg BW were distinctly different from those of the intermediate dose levels, whereas there was some overlapping of the individual values at the dose levels 5, 10 and 20 μg/kg BW. The urinary ZEA equivalent/creatinine ratio can be used as a biomarker for ZEA exposure in pigs provided that urine samples of several animals receiving the same diet are assayed, either separately or after pooling.