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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Athens, Georgia » U.S. National Poultry Research Center » Toxicology & Mycotoxin Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #329447
Title: Fumonisins

Author
item Voss, Kenneth
item Riley, Ronald
item GELINEAU-VAN WAES, JANEE - Creighton University
item GARDNER, NICOLE - Iowa State University

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/19/2016
Publication Date: 4/14/2017
Citation: Voss, K.A., Riley, R.T., Gelineau-Van Waes, J., Gardner, N. 2017. Fumonisins. In: Gupta, R. C., editor. Reproductive and Developmental Toxicology. 2nd Edition. Salt Lake City, UT: Academic Press. p. 925-944.

Interpretive Summary: This chapter reviews experimental and epidemiological evidence that fumonisins, common fungal toxins found in corn, are risk factors for adverse reproductive outcomes in animals and, possibly, humans living in areas where fumonisin exposure through consumption of contaminated corn is substantial. Experimental findings to the contrary are also reviewed.

Technical Abstract: Fumonisins are fungal toxins found in corn and in foods made from corn. Fumonisins are toxic to animals but their impact on human health is uncertain. Epidemiological evidence suggests that fumonisins may be risk factors for birth defects known as neural tube defects (NTDs) and for growth retardation of young children living in areas where large amounts of fumonisin-contaminated corn are consumed on a regular basis. Fumonisin B1 (FB1), the most common fumonisin, was not teratogenic in some animal studies although adverse embryonic and fetal affects secondary to maternal toxicity were found. These included generalized growth impairment and, at high doses, fetal death in utero. Other investigations have shown that, FB1, the most common fumonisin, induces NTDs in some mouse strains. The etiology of NTDs is complex. However, differences in sensitivity of the mouse strains to NTD induction by fumonisins are correlated with fumonisin-dependent disruption of sphingolipid biosynthesis and sphingolipid-dependent functions including folate utilization and uptake, diverse cell signaling pathways, and histone modification.