The effect of a single gavage dose of fumonisin B2 on the sphinganine and sphingosine concentrations in vervet monkeys

The disruption in sphinganine (Sa) and sphingosine (So) concentrations in plasma and urine of vervet monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops) was measured following a single gavage dose of either 1 (low dose) or 10 mg (high dose) fumonisin B2 (FB2)/kg body weight. Blood and urine were collected over a 51-day period. In the low-dose monkeys, none of the parameters measured increased significantly above the control values. In the high-dose monkeys the plasma Sa/So ratios were significantly increased (P< 0.05) above the corresponding control ratios after 3 days and continued to be significantly raised for another 27 days, whereafter the ratios declined to control values after 51 days. The plasma aspartate transaminase (AST) activities increased significantly above their control values from day 5 to day 23 and the γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT) activities from day 7 until the end of the study period. The plasma cholesterol concentration and alanine transaminase (ALT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activities increased transiently, but not significantly, and returned to control values within the study period. The urinary Sa/So ratio, plasma creatinine and urea values in both groups of monkeys did not increase above the control values. This study demonstrated that a single large dose of FB2 can cause transient disruption of sphingoid metabolism in vervet monkeys.