Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.2478/10004-1254-60-2009-1973
Evaluation of Patulin Toxicity in the Thymus of Growing Male Rats
Evrim Arzu Koçkaya
; The Higher Vocational School of Health Services, Gazi University, Gölbaşı Campus, Ankara, Turkey
Güldeniz Selmanoğlu
; Faculty of Science, Hacettepe University, Beytepe Campus, Ankara, Turkey
Nesrin Özsoy
; Faculty of Science, Ankara University, Ankara, Tur
Nursel Gül
; Faculty of Science, Ankara University, Ankara, Tur
Abstract
Patulin is a mycotoxin produced by several Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Byssachlamys species growing on food products. In this study, we investigated the effects of patulin on the thymus of growing male rats aged fi ve to six weeks. The rats were receiving it orally at a dose of 0.1 mg kg-1 bw a day for either 60 or 90 days. At the end of the experiment, the thymus was examined for histopathology by light microscopy and for epidermal growth factor (EGF) and its receptor (EGFR) by immunolocalisation. For morphometry we used the Bs200prop program to analyse images obtained with the Olympus BX51 light microscope. Cell ultrastructure was studied by electron microscopy. In rats treated with patulin, the thymus showed
haemorrhage, plasma cell hyperplasia, a dilation and fi brosis in the cortex, enlarged interstitial tissue between the thymic lobules, enlarged fat tissue, thinning of the cortex, and blurring of the cortico-medullary demarcation. Electron microscopy showed signs of cell destruction, abnormalities of the nucleus and organelles, and loss of mitochondrial cristae. However, no differences were observed in thymus EGF and EGFR immunoreactivity between treated and control rats.
Keywords
histopathology; immunotoxicity; light microscopy; morphometry; mycotoxin; cell ultrastructure
Hrčak ID:
45373
URI
Publication date:
22.12.2009.
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