Biomaterial Database

Fumonisins--mycotoxins produced by Fusarium moniliforme. 1993

W P Norred

Toxicology and Mycotoxins Research Unit, Richard B. Russell Agricultural Research Center, United States Department of Agriculture, Athens, Georgia 30613.

Fumonisins are toxic metabolites of the fungus Fusarium moniliforme, which is a common contaminant of corn everywhere in the world. The fumonisins are carcinogenic in laboratory rats, and cause acute toxicity of domestic animals that mimics field cases of disease attributed to contamination of feed by F. moniliforme. These include both equine leukoencephalomalacia and porcine pulmonary edema. Fusarium moniliforme contamination of corn consumed by humans in certain areas of the world is associated with higher than average incidence of esophageal cancer, and fumonisins may be responsible. Analytical methods have been developed for fumonisins, but improvements are needed so that more accurate, less expensive, and more rapid assays of food and feedstuffs can be done. Fumonisins are structurally similar to sphingosine, and may exert their biological activity through their ability to block key enzymes (sphinganine- and sphingosine-N-acyltransferases) involved in sphingolipid biosynthesis. Much more research is needed to define the extent to which this mycotoxin adversely affects the food supply, and its involvement in animal and human diseases.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007107	Immune System	The body's defense mechanism against foreign organisms or substances and deviant native cells. It includes the humoral immune response and the cell-mediated response and consists of a complex of interrelated cellular, molecular, and genetic components.	Immune Systems,System, Immune,Systems, Immune
D008099	Liver	A large lobed glandular organ in the abdomen of vertebrates that is responsible for detoxification, metabolism, synthesis and storage of various substances.	Livers
D008113	Liver Neoplasms	Tumors or cancer of the LIVER.	Cancer of Liver,Hepatic Cancer,Liver Cancer,Cancer of the Liver,Cancer, Hepatocellular,Hepatic Neoplasms,Hepatocellular Cancer,Neoplasms, Hepatic,Neoplasms, Liver,Cancer, Hepatic,Cancer, Liver,Cancers, Hepatic,Cancers, Hepatocellular,Cancers, Liver,Hepatic Cancers,Hepatic Neoplasm,Hepatocellular Cancers,Liver Cancers,Liver Neoplasm,Neoplasm, Hepatic,Neoplasm, Liver
D009183	Mycotoxins	Toxic compounds produced by FUNGI.	Fungal Toxins,Mycotoxin,Toxins, Fungal
D011654	Pulmonary Edema	Excessive accumulation of extravascular fluid in the lung, an indication of a serious underlying disease or disorder. Pulmonary edema prevents efficient PULMONARY GAS EXCHANGE in the PULMONARY ALVEOLI, and can be life-threatening.	Wet Lung,Edema, Pulmonary,Edemas, Pulmonary,Pulmonary Edemas,Lung, Wet,Lungs, Wet,Wet Lungs
D004678	Encephalomalacia	Softening or loss of brain tissue following CEREBRAL INFARCTION; cerebral ischemia (see BRAIN ISCHEMIA), infection, CRANIOCEREBRAL TRAUMA, or other injury. The term is often used during gross pathologic inspection to describe blurred cortical margins and decreased consistency of brain tissue following infarction. Multicystic encephalomalacia refers to the formation of multiple cystic cavities of various sizes in the cerebral cortex of neonates and infants following injury, most notably perinatal hypoxia-ischemic events. (From Davis et al., Textbook of Neuropathology, 2nd ed, p665; J Neuropathol Exp Neurol, 1995 Mar;54(2):268-75)	Cerebromalacia,Encephalomalacia, Multicystic,Multicystic Encephalomalacia,Cerebromalacias,Encephalomalacias,Encephalomalacias, Multicystic,Multicystic Encephalomalacias
D004938	Esophageal Neoplasms	Tumors or cancer of the ESOPHAGUS.	Cancer of Esophagus,Esophageal Cancer,Cancer of the Esophagus,Esophagus Cancer,Esophagus Neoplasm,Neoplasms, Esophageal,Cancer, Esophageal,Cancer, Esophagus,Cancers, Esophageal,Cancers, Esophagus,Esophageal Cancers,Esophageal Neoplasm,Esophagus Cancers,Esophagus Neoplasms,Neoplasm, Esophageal,Neoplasm, Esophagus,Neoplasms, Esophagus
D005670	Fusarium	A mitosporic Hypocreales fungal genus, various species of which are important parasitic pathogens of plants and a variety of vertebrates. Teleomorphs include GIBBERELLA.	Fusariums
D006734	Horse Diseases	Diseases of domestic and wild horses of the species Equus caballus.	Equine Diseases,Disease, Equine,Disease, Horse,Diseases, Equine,Diseases, Horse,Equine Disease,Horse Disease
D006736	Horses	Large, hoofed mammals of the family EQUIDAE. Horses are active day and night with most of the day spent seeking and consuming food. Feeding peaks occur in the early morning and late afternoon, and there are several daily periods of rest.	Equus caballus,Equus przewalskii,Horse, Domestic,Domestic Horse,Domestic Horses,Horse,Horses, Domestic