Effects of Functional Yogurt Supplementation on Aflatoxin-Induced Maternal-Fetal Toxicity in Pregnant Rats.
- 1Department of Pathology and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirao Preto 14049-900, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
- 2Department of Food Engineering, School of Animal Science and Food Engineering, University of São Paulo, Pirassununga 13635-900, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
- 3Department of Biosystem Engineering, School of Animal Science and Food Engineering, University of São Paulo, Pirassununga 13635-900, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Abstract
Aflatoxin (AF) exposure during pregnancy may compromise maternal health and fetal development. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of gestational exposure to AF in pregnant Wistar rats and the mitigating effect of a functional yogurt (FY) containing inactivated biomass of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Animals were exposed to total AF (sum AFB₁, AFB₂, AFG₁ and AFG₂: 1.0 mg/kg/day) from gestational day (GD) 6 to 15, with or without FY supplementation. Maternal and reproductive parameters, fetal development, cranial ossification and placental growth factor (PlGF) immunostaining were evaluated, along with determination of AF metabolites in maternal and fetal samples. AF exposure reduced maternal weight gain during GD6-GD15 and fetal weight at GD20. Delayed cranial ossification occurred in 51.4 and 15.6% of fetuses in AF and AF + FY groups, respectively, with most severe alterations occurring in the AF group. Serum aflatoxin M₁ (AFM₁) concentrations were lower (p = 0.002) in AF + FY than in AF groups. AF metabolites were quantified less frequently in maternal liver from FY-supplemented animals (p = 0.015), while placentas or fetal livers from the AF + FY group had no quantifiable levels of AF metabolites. PlGF immunostaining was highest in AF group and lowest in the FY group (p = 0.0007). In conclusion, FY containing L. rhamnosus and S cerevisiae biomasses attenuated some AF-induced effects on fetal development, particularly delayed cranial ossification.
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BibTeX
@article{silva2026effects,
title = {{Effects of Functional Yogurt Supplementation on Aflatoxin-Induced Maternal-Fetal Toxicity in Pregnant Rats.}},
author = {João Victor Batista da Silva and Jéssica Cristina Leme and Giovana Perez Montenegro and Deisy Mara Silva Longo and Marlei Josiele Augusto and Fernando Silva Ramalho and Lucas Gabriel Dionisio Freire and Carlos Humberto Corassin and Fernando Gustavo Tonin and Sher Ali and Carlos Augusto Fernandes de Oliveira and Leandra Náira Zambelli Ramalho},
journal = {Toxins},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/toxins18100457},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42931547},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Effects of Functional Yogurt Supplementation on Aflatoxin-Induced Maternal-Fetal Toxicity in Pregnant Rats.
AU - João Victor Batista da Silva
AU - Jéssica Cristina Leme
AU - Giovana Perez Montenegro
AU - Deisy Mara Silva Longo
AU - Marlei Josiele Augusto
AU - Fernando Silva Ramalho
AU - Lucas Gabriel Dionisio Freire
AU - Carlos Humberto Corassin
AU - Fernando Gustavo Tonin
AU - Sher Ali
AU - Carlos Augusto Fernandes de Oliveira
AU - Leandra Náira Zambelli Ramalho
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/20
JO - Toxins
DO - 10.3390/toxins18100457
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42931547
AB - Aflatoxin (AF) exposure during pregnancy may compromise maternal health and fetal development. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of gestational exposure to AF in pregnant Wistar rats and the mitigating effect of a functional yogurt (FY) containing inactivated biomass of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Animals were exposed to total AF (sum AFB₁, AFB₂, AFG₁ and AFG₂: 1.0 mg/kg/day) from gestational day (GD) 6 to 15, with or without FY supplementation. Maternal and reproductive parameters, fetal development, cranial ossification and placental growth factor (PlGF) immunostaining were evaluated, along with determination of AF metabolites in maternal and fetal samples. AF exposure reduced maternal weight gain during GD6-GD15 and fetal weight at GD20. Delayed cranial ossification occurred in 51.4 and 15.6% of fetuses in AF and AF + FY groups, respectively, with most severe alterations occurring in the AF group. Serum aflatoxin M₁ (AFM₁) concentrations were lower (p = 0.002) in AF + FY than in AF groups. AF metabolites were quantified less frequently in maternal liver from FY-supplemented animals (p = 0.015), while placentas or fetal livers from the AF + FY group had no quantifiable levels of AF metabolites. PlGF immunostaining was highest in AF group and lowest in the FY group (p = 0.0007). In conclusion, FY containing L. rhamnosus and S cerevisiae biomasses attenuated some AF-induced effects on fetal development, particularly delayed cranial ossification.
SN - 2072-6651
ER -