Tenuazonic acid is one of the major Alternaria mycotoxins commonly found as a natural contaminant in food (LD50 = 548 μg/egg in the chicken embryo toxicity assay).1 Tenuazonic acid contamination has been linked to esophageal cancer in human populations at risk of high exposure. Mice fed 100 mg/kg/day tenuazonic acid orally for 10 months developed precancerous lesions on the esophageal mucosa.2 Microscopic analysis of mucosal epithelial cells from these tenuazonic acid-treated animals reveal pyknosis and marked pleomorphisms in the nuclei, chromatin granulation and increased chromatin mass, irregularities in nuclear contours, and vacuolization in nucleoplasms.2

Reference

1. Griffin, G.F., and Chu, F.S. Toxicity of the Alternaria metabolites alternariol, alternariol methyl ether, altenuene, and tenuazonic acid in the chicken embryo assay Applied and Environmental Microbiology 46(6), 1420-1422 (1983).

2. Yekeler, H., Bitmis, K., Ozcelik, N., et al. Analysis of toxic effects of Alternaria toxins on esophagus of mice by light and electron microscopy Toxicologic Pathology 29, 492-497 (2001).