Subchronic feeding studies with nivalenol in C57BL/6 mice

Groups of ten C57BL/6CrSlc SPF mice of each sex were fed diets containing 0, 6, 12 or 30 ppm nivalenol for 4 or 12 wk. Body-weight gains of males and females were depressed, dose-dependently in the case of males. Feed consumption was also depressed. Treatment-related changes in liver, kidney, spleen and thymus weights were seen in some groups but showed no clear trends. No gross or histopathological lesions were seen in the organs examined but treated groups had considerably less fatty tissue at autopsy than did controls. There was a dose-dependent increase in serum alkaline phosphatase activity. Other serum parameters showed scattered significantly altered value but no clear trends, except for serum GOT values for males fed 12 and 30 ppm for 12 wk; these showed a statistically significant dose-related increase, but were within the normal range and were not considered to indicate hepatotoxicity.