LAUSR

Juveniles are considered one of the most vulnerable population groups concerning mycotoxins and their modified forms. The weaning stage is a particularly vulnerable period in the mammals life, reflected in intestinal and immune dysfunction. The current study investigated the toxicokinetic (TK) characteristics of zearalenone (ZEN), zearalenone-14-glucoside (ZEN14G) and zearalenone-14-sulfate (ZEN14S) in weaned (4-week-old) piglets, by means of oral and intravenous administration of equimolar doses, i.e. 331, 500 and 415 µg/kg bodyweight, respectively. Plasma and urine were sampled pre-and post-administration and were quantitatively analyzed for ZEN, ZEN14G, ZEN14S and in vivo metabolites by liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry. Tailor-made TK models were elaborated to process data. A statistical comparison of the results was performed with TK data obtained in a previously reported study for pigs of 8 weeks of age. Additionally, porcine plasma protein binding was determined in order to support TK findings. The TK results for ZEN, ZEN14G and ZEN14S, obtained in 4- and 8-week-old pigs, revealed significant age-related differences, based on differences in intestinal permeability, body fat content, gastrointestinal transit time and biotransformation, with a special emphasis on an increased absorbed fraction of ZEN14G, i.e. 94 vs. 61% in 4- compared to 8-week-old pigs. Since the growing pig has been reported a suitable paediatric animal model for humans concerning TK processes, these results may contribute to refine the risk assessment concerning modified ZEN forms in juvenile animals and humans.