Undergraduate student Minnesota State Univ., Moorhead Elbow Lake, Minnesota, United States
Disclosure(s):
Jenna Johnsrud: No financial relationships to disclose
Introduction/Rationale: Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a mycotoxin produced by the fungus Fusarium graminearum. This fungus is commonly found in agricultural fields and can contaminate crops. When ingested, DON can cause changes in the intestinal, nervous, and immune system. However, during harvesting season, Fusarium graminearum and DON can become airborne and inhaled. Minimal research has been done regarding the effects DON has on the respiratory system when inhaled. As DON targets the immune system through intestinal mucosa, it can be hypothesized that DON can also trigger an immune response when inhaled. This study assesses the effect of DON inhalation in an allergic asthma murine model.
Methods: Allergic mice were exposed to 30 or 60 ng of inhaled DON once daily for six days. On day 7 and 28, serum was analyzed for IgE and IgA, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were analyzed for IgA levels. Cytokine levels were analyzed in lung homogenates, and goblet cell metaplasia with associated mucus production was visualized by periodic acid Schiff staining of lung histology sections.
Results: With the inhalation of DON, serum and BALF IgA levels increased. Allergic asthma mediators or allergic asthma symptoms such as serum IgE, cytokine levels, and goblet cell metaplasia were unaffected.
Conclusion: Inhalation of DON in an experimental allergic asthma murine model did not have an effect on allergic asthma mediators but resulted in increased IgA levels. IgA is an important antibody subtype found in mucosal secretions, and our next step will be to understand the role of pulmonary epithelial cells in mediating this cascade. The results of this study are likely to help inform therapeutics and diagnostics for DON related exposure.
