The effects of high doses of the mycotoxin zearalenone on Tenebrio molitor L. larvae

Abstract

Tenebrio molitor is considered a pest of stored grains and grain-based products, but also as an important supplement in animal and human nutrition. It is important to point out that T. molitor larvae are sensitive to the presence of mycotoxins in the environment, changing the behavior and some biochemical parameters. Mycotoxin zearalenone (ZEA) was used to assess the effect on the induction of oxidative stress and behavior in T. molitor larvae. The aim of this research was to examine the effect of high doses of mycotoxin ZEA (10 and 20 mg/kg) in feed on the activity of the enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione S-transferase (GST), as well as on the parameters of locomotor activity: travel distance, time in movement, and average speed while in motion in T. molitor larvae. The results of this study showed that the presence of ZEA in feed at concentrations of 10 and 20 mg/kg significantly increased the specific activity of SOD, CAT, and GST. It also affected the locomotor activity of the larvae, i.e. travel distance and time in movement were significantly lower in larvae exposed to 10 and 20 mg/kg ZEA, while average speed did not change significantly. The presence of ZEA leads to significant changes in the physiology and behavior of T. molitor larvae and can be useful in the early detection of food contamination with this dangerous mycotoxin.

Tenebrio molitor se smatra štetočinom uskladištenih žitarica i proizvoda od žitarica, ali i kao važan dodatak u ishrani životinja i ljudi. Važno je istaći da su T. molitor larve osetljive na prisustvo mikotoksina u okruženju, menjajući ponašanje i vrednosti biohemijskih parametara. Fungalni toksin zearalenon (ZEA) je korišćen za procenu uticaja na oksidativni stres i lokomotornu aktivnost larvi brašnenog crva, T. molitor. Cilj ovog istraživanja je bio da se ispita uticaj visokih doza mikotoksina ZEA (10 i 20 mg/kg) u hrani na aktivnost enzima superoksid dismutaze (SOD), katalaze (CAT) i glutation S-transferaze (GST), kao i na parametre lokomotorne aktivnosti: pređeni put, vreme kretanja i prosečnu brzinu kretanja larvi T. molitor. Rezultati ovog istraživanja su pokazali da prisustvo ZEA u hrani u koncentracijama od 10 i 20 mg/kg značajno povećava specifičnu aktivnost SOD, CAT i GST. Takođe, uticalo je i na lokomotornu aktivnost larvi tj. pređeni put i vreme kretanja su bili značajno niži kod larvi izloženih 10 i 20 mg/kg ZEA, dok se prosečna brzina kretanja nije značajno menjala. Prisustvo ZEA dovodi do značajnih promena u fiziologiji i ponašanju larvi T. molitor i može biti korisno u ranom otkrivanju kontaminacije hrane ovim opasnim mikotoksinom.