Lipid spectrum in different tissues of MT81 toxin-treated mice

The effects of different intraperitoneal doses of MT81 (2.5 mg/kg, 5.0 mg/kg and 7.5 mg/kg, respectively) for a 2-week, 4-week and 6-week treatment on concentration of total lipid and its different fractions of liver, brain, kidney, testis and serum in mice were studied. The following were measured: total lipid, free and total cholesterol, total phospholipid and its fractions (lecithin, lysolecithin, phosphotidylethanolamine and lysophosphotidylethanolamine), triglyceride, free fatty acid; lipase activity was also measured in serum, liver, and testis. Ascorbic acid content of testis was also measured. This mycotoxin (MT81) caused biochemical disorders of the tissues. Total cholesterol, free cholesterol, total phospholipid and its fractions, triglycerides and total lipids were elevated significantly in liver, serum, kidney and testis of toxin-treated animals. Free fatty acid increased significantly at a later stage in serum and remained constant in other tissues of toxin-treated mice. All the lipid fractions except total phospholipid and its fractions remained constant in brain of treated animals; total phospholipid and its fractions decreased significantly in brain of toxin-treated mice. Lipase activity decreased significantly in serum, liver and testis of treated mice. Ascorbic acid content of testis of treated animals increased significantly. Such disorders of lipid concentrations in the aforesaid tissues might be associated with the CNS depressant action and structural and functional toxicity of other tissues induced by the MT81 toxin.