Zearalenone

Zearalenone is a mycotoxin that has been found in Fusarium and has estrogenic activities.¹ It binds to human estrogen receptor α (ERα) and ERβ (IC₅₀s = 9 and 5.8 nM, respectively).² Zearalenone induces precocious development of mammary tissues in young female pigs and prepucial enlargement in young male pigs.³ Zearalenone (1.5-5 mg/kg of diet) induces hyperestrogenism in pigs. It also induces degeneration of meiotic chromatin in oocytes and reduces fertility in pigs when administered at a dose of 200 µg/kg.⁴ Zearalenone has been found as a contaminant in wheat, maize, and barley and livestock feeds.^3,4

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1. Zinedine, A., Soriano, J.M., Moltó, J.C., et al. Review on the toxicity, occurrence, metabolism, detoxification, regulations and intake of zearalenone: An oestrogenic mycotoxin. Food Chem. Toxicol. 45(1), 1-18 (2007).

2. Kuiper, G.G.J.M., Lemmen, J.G., Carlsson, B., et al. Interaction of estrogenic chemicals and phytoestrogens with estrogen receptor β. Endocrinology 139(10), 4252-4263 (1998).

3. Richard, J.L. Some major mycotoxins and their mycotoxicoses—an overview. Int. J. Food Microbiol. 119(1-2), 3-10 (2007).

4. Tiemann, U., and Dänicke, S. In vivo and in vitro effects of the mycotoxins zearalenone and deoxynivalenol on different non-reproductive and reproductive organs in female pigs: A review. Food Addit. Contam. 24(3), 306-314 (2007).