Characterization of deoxynivalenol-induced anorexia using mouse bioassay

A short-term mouse model was devised to investigate induction of food refusal by the common foodborne trichothecene deoxynivalenol (DON). DON dose-dependently induced anorexia within 2 h of exposure when administered either by intraperitoneal (ip.) injection or by oral gavage. The no observed adverse effect and lowest observed adverse effect levels in this assay were 0.5 and 1 mg/kg bw for ip. exposure and 1 and 2.5 mg/kg bw for oral exposure, respectively. DON’s effects on food intake were transient, lasting up to 3 h at 1 mg/kg bw and up to 6 h at 5 mg/kg bw. Interestingly, a dose-dependent orexigenic response was observed in the 14 h following the initial 2 h food intake measurement. Toxin-treated mice exhibited partial resistance to feed refusal when exposed to DON subsequently after 2 d, but not after 7 d suggesting that this modest tolerance was reversible. The short-term mouse bioassay described here was useful in characterizing DON-induced anorexia and should be applicable to elucidating mechanisms underlying this adverse nutritional effect.