Background
Zearalenone (ZEN), also RAL or F-2 mycotoxin, is an estrogenic fungal toxin produced by fungi of the genus Fusarium. Commonly found in moldy cereals such as maize, soybeans, and wheat. Zearalenone and its derivatives exhibit estrogenic activity. Upon oral exposure, they are rapidly absorbed and competitively bind to estrogen receptors in animals and humans, accumulating widely in the liver, kidneys, intestines, and reproductive organs.
Zearalenone's toxicokinetics are receiving increased attention due to potential health risks and detrimental effects on productivity. Zearalenone is heat-stable, which ensures its persistence during grain and feed manufacturing and storage, making it easily absorbed by cattle and humans. Zearalenone may interfere with the development of reproductive cells and embryos, disrupt hormone release, and cause anomalies in sexual function and organ development, including early puberty in adolescents. In livestock production, Zearalenone lowers sperm and ova viability, resulting in sterility, early birth, and severe reductions in reproductive efficiency, which result in economic losses. Furthermore, Zearalenone impairs immunological function, decreases functioning in various organs, and causes inflammatory responses.
Figure 1. Zearalenone Contamination Pathways ( Source: Li L, et al., 2021)
As global environmental pollution worsens, detecting Zearalenone contamination is crucial for ensuring the quality control and safety regulation of various grains, feeds, dairy and meat products, and processed foods. Currently, anti-Zearalenone monoclonal antibodies are widely used in highly sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and lateral flow immunoassays (LFIA), offering rapidity, high sensitivity, and cost-effectiveness advantages. These advancements significantly enhance the efficiency and convenience of Zearalenone detection in food and feed safety testing, thereby holding substantial practical value in food and feed safety.
Alternative Names
anti-ZEN monoclonal antibody
anti-ZEN mAb
monoclonal antibody Zearalenone
anti-ZEA mAb
monoclonal antibody ZEA
monoclonal antibody against zearalenone, clone ZEN
anti-zearalenone mAb, clone ZEN
References
- 1. Li L, et al., Male reproductive toxicity of zearalenone—meta-analysis with mechanism review. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 2021; 221.
References
Preparation of a broad-spectrum anti-zearalenone and its primary analogues antibody and its application in an indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
Food Chemistry
Authors: Dong, G. Pan, Y. Wang, Y. Ahmed, S. Liu, Z. Peng, D. Yuan, Z.
Abstract
A broad-spectrum monoclonal antibody (mAb)-based indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ic-ELISA) has been developed for rapidly screening zearalenone (ZEN) and its primary analogues in various samples using an easy sample preparation procedure. Primarily, a group-specific mAb, 6C2, was produced, which had IC50 values for ZEN, α-zearalenol, β-zearalenol, α-zearalanol, β-zearalanol and zearalanone of 114.0, 127.4, 290.4, 114.9, 205.6 and 257.1?ng?L?1, respectively. The limit of detection and limit of quantitation of this method for ZEN and its five primary analogues in various matrix samples ranged from 114.2 to 812.3?ng?L?1 and 237.1 to 1653.9?ng?L?1, respectively. The recoveries of the above samples spiked with ZEN and its five primary analogues were in the range of 62.9–113.6%. The CVs were less than 13.2%. A good correlation (R2?=?0.995) between the ic-ELISA results and the HPLC-MS/MS results for swine feeds supported the reliability of the developed ic-ELISA.
Current status on the molecular biology of zearalenone: its biosynthesis and molecular detection of zearalenone producing Fusarium species
European Journal of Plant Pathology
Authors: Nahle, S. El Khoury, A. Atoui, A.
Abstract
Zearalenone (ZEN) is a mycotoxin produced by some species of Fusarium, especially by Fusarium graminearum and F. culmorum. It is a significant contaminant of maize, barley, wheat and other cereals. ZEN is implicated in reproductive problems in experimental animals and livestock and is classified as a non-steroidal estrogen or mycoestrogen. The carcinogenicity, genotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, haematotoxicity and immunotoxicity of ZEN were also reported. ZEN is biosynthesized from acetate-polymalonate pathway leading to nonaketide precursor which then subjected to different cyclizations and modifications. At the molecular level, a 50 kb gene cluster containing 11 genes was previously identified in F. graminearum. But ZEN biosynthesis is limited to four genes within this cluster: two polyketide synthase genes PKS4 and PKS13, gene similar to isoamyl alcohol oxidase (ZEB1) and a regulatory protein gene (ZEB2). This review covers the updated information concerning the molecular biology of ZEN biosynthesis as well as the proposed mechanism of its biosynthetic pathway. We also report the molecular regulation of its biosynthesis. Moreover, molecular methods developed for the specific detection and quantification of ZEN producing species are detailed in this review.
COA
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