Deoxynivalenol (DON) is the most widely distributed trichothecene mycotoxin in grain-based foods and animal feed. Exposure to DON is widespread as it has been detected in food sources from around the world. The objective of this work was to develop a method to quantitate DON in biological matrices and apply it in a preliminary assessment of gestational and lactational transfer of DON following exposure of pregnant rats. The method used protein precipitation followed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. The method was evaluated in male Sprague Dawley rat plasma over the concentration range ∼2–1,000 ng/mL. The method was linear (r ≥ 0.99), accurate (mean relative error ≤ ±4.9%) and precise (relative standard deviation ≤ 5.5%). The mean absolute recovery was 85.9%. The limit of detection was 0.35 ng/mL. The method was also evaluated in gestational day (GD) 18 Hsd:Sprague Dawley^®SD^® dam plasma and fetal homogenate (mean % relative error ≤ ±16.9; % relative standard deviation ≤ 9.5). Concentrations of DON in dam plasma stored at −80°C for at least 29 days and in fetal homogenate for at least 43 days were within 97.9 to 120% of Day 0 concentrations, demonstrating that DON is stable in these matrices. The method was used to quantitate DON in rat maternal plasma, amniotic fluid, GD 18 fetuses and postnatal day (PND) 4 pups following exposure of dams to 0 (control) and 1 mg/kg DON beginning on GD 6 and continuing through gestation and lactation for a preliminary assessment of maternal transfer. In animals exposed to 1 mg/kg/day, similar concentration of DON was found in GD 18 dam plasma and fetuses, demonstrating significant gestational transfer. The concentration of DON in PND 4 dam plasma was similar to that in GD 18 dam plasma. However, DON was not detected in PND 4 pup plasma above the limit of detection of the assay, demonstrating absence of transfer of DON to pups via lactation.

中文翻译：

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开发一种通过 UPLC-MS-MS 对脱氧雪腐镰刀菌烯醇进行定量的分析方法：对大鼠妊娠和哺乳期转移的初步评估

脱氧雪腐镰刀菌烯醇 (DON) 是谷物食品和动物饲料中分布最广泛的单端孢霉烯真菌毒素。由于已在世界各地的食物来源中检测到 DON，因此接触 DON 很普遍。这项工作的目的是开发一种定量生物基质中 DON 的方法，并将其应用于妊娠大鼠暴露后 DON 妊娠和哺乳期转移的初步评估。该方法使用蛋白质沉淀，然后使用超高效液相色谱-串联质谱法。该方法在雄性 Sprague Dawley 大鼠血浆中进行了评估，浓度范围约为 2–1,000 ng/mL。该方法线性（r≥0.99）、准确（平均相对误差≤±4.9%）和精确（相对标准偏差≤5.5%）。平均绝对回收率为 85.9%。检测限为 0.35 ng/mL。^® SD ^®dam 血浆和胎儿匀浆（平均 % 相对误差 ≤ ±16.9；% 相对标准偏差 ≤ 9.5）。在 -80°C 下储存至少 29 天的母体血浆和至少 43 天的胎儿匀浆中 DON 的浓度在第 0 天浓度的 97.9% 至 120% 之间，表明 DON 在这些基质中是稳定的。该方法用于定量大鼠母体血浆、羊水、GD 18 胎和产后 (PND) 4 只幼崽在母鼠从 GD 6 开始并持续到妊娠和用于对母体转移的初步评估。在暴露于 1 毫克/公斤/天的动物中，在 GD 18 母鼠血浆和胎儿中发现类似浓度的 DON，表明显着的妊娠转移。PND 4 dam 血浆中DON 的浓度与GD 18 dam 血浆中的浓度相似。