Intestinal transport of deoxynivalenol across porcine small intestines

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is one of the most important trichothecenes, due to its worldwide distribution and common contamination of animal feed. It mainly affects the gastrointestinal tract and the immune system with a high susceptibility for swine. Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) are endotoxins and are part of the outer membrane of most gram-negative bacteria. They induce inflammatory responses under systemic application. We hypothesised that dietary DON as well as LPS challenge could affect the transport of DON in vitro. For assessment of this hypothesis, a total of 16 pigs were divided into two groups, Control and DON-feeding. In each group, four animals were injected intraperitoneally with LPS (5 µg/kg BW). Jejunal preparations were mounted on the Ussing chambers, and after luminal addition of DON at two different concentrations (4000 and 8000 ng/ml), buffer samples were collected at different time points to measure the concentration of DON using LC-MS/MS analysis. Our findings revealed a significant interaction effect between dietary DON and DON in vitro represented by higher mucosal uptake of DON in DON-fed animals. Animals challenged with LPS showed higher mucosal uptake but without significant effect of LPS. We concluded that the transport of DON was proportional to its concentration and DON in feed could have an effect on the transport of DON across porcine jejunal mucosa. LPS challenge induced no apparent significant effect on DON transport, although induction of acute phase reaction was present.