Morphology and Chemical Coding of Rat Duodenal Enteric Neurons following Prenatal Exposure to Fumonisins

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Food contamination with toxins produced by various species of fungi (hereafter: mycotoxins) occurs frequently, and, for this reason, their activity in the bodies of animals is the subject of wide-ranging research. Although many aspects of the activity of fumonisins (mycotoxins produced by Fusarium) have been described, an open question is whether prenatal exposure to fumonisins may result in morphological changes, including in the enteric nervous system (ENS). The present study revealed that fumonisin administered via the gastrointestinal tract to pregnant rats did not substantially change the structure of the intestine/ENS of the offspring, but altered the neurochemical profile of its enteric neurons. ABSTRACT: Fumonisins (FBs), including fumonisin B1 and B2 produced by the fungus Fusarium verticillioides, are widespread mycotoxins contaminating crop plants as well as processed food. The aim of the experiment was to determine whether the exposure of 5-week-old pregnant rats to FBs at 60 mg/kg b.w. (group FB(60)) or 90 mg/kg b.w. (group FB(90)) results in morphological changes in the duodenum of weaned offspring, particularly the enteric nervous system (ENS). In addition, the levels of expression of galanin and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) in the ENS were analysed by immunofluorescence in the control and experimental groups of animals. No significant morphological changes in the thickness of the muscle layer or submucosa of the duodenum were noted in group FB(60) or FB(90). In group FB(90) (but not FB(60)), there was a significant increase in the width of the villi and in the density of the intestinal crypts. Immunofluorescence analysis using neuronal marker Hu C/D showed no significant changes in group FB(60) or FB(90) in the morphology of the duodenal ENS, i.e., the myenteric plexus (MP) and submucosal plexus (SP), in terms of the density of enteric ganglia in the MP and SP, surface area of MP and SP ganglia, length and width of MP and SP ganglia, surface area of myenteric and submucosal neurons, diameter of myenteric and submucosal neurons, density of myenteric and submucosal neurons, and number of myenteric and submucosal neurons per ganglion. In both groups, there was an increase (relative to the control) in the percentage of Hu C/D-IR/VIP-IR (IR-immunoreactive) and Hu C/D-IR/galanin-IR myenteric and submucosal neurons in the ganglia of both the MP and SP of the duodenum. In addition, in groups FB(60) and FB(90), there was an increase in the number of nerve fibres showing expression of VIP and galanin in the mucosa, submucosa and circular muscle layer of the duodenum. The results indicate that prenatal exposure to FBs does not significantly alter the histological structure of the duodenum (including the ENS) in the weaned offspring. The changes observed in the chemical code of the myenteric and submucosal neurons in both experimental groups suggest harmful activity of FBs, which may translate into activation of repair mechanisms via overexpression of neuroprotective neuropeptides (VIP and galanin).