Mycotoxins are toxic secondary metablistes produced by filamentous fungi (molds). Mycotoxins are very powerful protein synthesis inhibitors, so they can affect the DNA, which is a problem in and of itself.
Because they affect the DNA, the cells start multiplying abnormally which can eventually develop into cancer. That mycotoxins can and do cause oesophageal cancer, kidney cancer, liver cancer, prostate cancer.
Fumonisins are carcinogenic mycotoxins by some Fusarium, primarily F. verticillioides growing in maize. At least 28 fumonisins (fumonisin B1, fumonisin B2, and fumonisin B3) analogs are now known and three of these occur naturally in maize world wide.
Fumonisins ingestion via feed prpeared from corn contaminated woth Fusarium could cause leukoencephalomalacia in horse, pulmonary oedema in pig, and liver cancer in rat.
The incidence of F. moniliforme is home grown corn has been correlated with human esophageal cancer rates in Transkei, southern Africa and in China. Corn naturally contaminated with F. moniliforme and associated with a field oubreak of LEM in horse in the US was also shown to be hepatocarcinogenic in rats.
Mycotoxins cause cancer
