Fumonisin b1 carcinogenicity in a two-year feeding study using F344 rats and B6C3F1 mice

Environ Health Perspect. 2001 May;109 Suppl 2(Suppl 2):277-82. doi: 10.1289/ehp.01109s2277.

Abstract

Fumonisin B1 (FB1) is a mycotoxin isolated from Fusarium fungi that contaminate crops worldwide. A previous study demonstrated that FB1 promoted preneoplastic foci in initiated rats and induced hepatocellular carcinomas in BD IX rats at 50 parts per million (ppm), but fundamental dose-response data were not available to assist in setting regulatory guidelines for this mycotoxin. To provide this information, female and male F344/N/Nctr BR rats and B6C3F1 Nctr BR mice were fed for two years a powdered NIH-31 diet containing the following concentrations of FB1: female rats, 0, 5, 15, 50, and 100 ppm; male rats, 0, 5, 15, 50, and 150 ppm; female mice, 0, 5, 15, 50, and 80 ppm; male mice, 0, 5, 15, 80, and 150 ppm. FB1 was not tumorigenic in female F344 rats with doses as high as 100 ppm. Including FB1 in the diets of male rats induced renal tubule adenomas and carcinomas in 0/48, 0/40, 9/48, and 15/48 rats at 0, 5, 15, 50, and 150 ppm, respectively. Including up to 150 ppm FB1 in the diet of male mice did not affect tumor incidence. Hepatocellular adenomas and carcinomas were induced by FB1 in the female mice, occurring in 5/47, 3/48, 1/48, 19/47, and 39/45 female mice that consumed diets containing 0, 5, 15, 50, and 80 ppm FB1, respectively. This study demonstrates that FB1 is a rodent carcinogen that induces renal tubule tumors in male F344 rats and hepatic tumors in female B6C3F1 mice.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animal Feed / adverse effects
  • Animals
  • Biological Assay
  • Body Weight / drug effects
  • Carboxylic Acids / administration & dosage
  • Carboxylic Acids / toxicity*
  • Carcinogens, Environmental / administration & dosage
  • Carcinogens, Environmental / toxicity*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Female
  • Fumonisins*
  • Fusarium
  • Kidney / cytology
  • Kidney / drug effects
  • Kidney Neoplasms / chemically induced*
  • Kidney Neoplasms / pathology
  • Kidney Tubules / cytology
  • Kidney Tubules / drug effects
  • Kidney Tubules / physiopathology
  • Liver / cytology
  • Liver / drug effects
  • Liver / physiopathology
  • Liver Neoplasms, Experimental / chemically induced*
  • Liver Neoplasms, Experimental / pathology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred Strains
  • Mycotoxins / administration & dosage
  • Mycotoxins / toxicity*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Inbred F344
  • Survival Analysis

Substances

  • Carboxylic Acids
  • Carcinogens, Environmental
  • Fumonisins
  • Mycotoxins
  • fumonisin B1