Reaction with Fructose Detoxifies Fumonisin B₁ while Stimulating Liver-Associated Natural Killer Cell Activity in Rats

Abstract

Fumonisin B 1 (FB 1 ) was reacted with fructose in an attempt to detoxify this mycotoxin. Fischer 344/N rats were initiated with diethylnitrosamine (15 mg/kg body weight) and then fed 69.3 μmol FB 1 /kg diet or 69.3 μmol FB 1 reacted with fructose (FB 1 −fructose)/kg diet for 4 weeks. In comparison with the rats fed basal diet or FB 1 −fructose, the FB 1 -fed rats had significantly increased plasma cholesterol ( P < 0.01), plasma alanine aminotransferase activity ( P < 0.05), and endogenous hepatic prostaglandin production ( P < 0.05). Placental glutathione S-transferase-positive and γ-glutamyl transferase-positive altered hepatic foci occurred only in the FB 1 -fed rats. Liver-associated natural killer (NK) cell activity was significantly decreased in the FB 1 -fed rats and increased in the group fed FB 1 -fructose, as compared with the basal group ( P < 0.03). Therefore, modifying FB 1 with fructose seems to prevent FB 1 -induced hepatotoxicity and promotion of hepatocarcinogenesis while stimulating liver-associated NK cell activity in rats. Keywords: Fumonisin B 1; fructose; prostaglandins; NK cell; placental glutathione S-transferase