Develop methods to lessen the toxicity of foodborne fungal toxins in humans.
APPROACH: Develop animal models that are increasingly relevant to humans, in exposure dose and potential biomarkers. Use suppression of peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) counts as a sensitive biomarker for dietary DON exposure. Feed mice varying amounts of DON for 2 and 4 weeks, and assess PBL total and subpopulation counts to determine the utility of PBL counts as biomarkers of DON exposure that could be readily adapted to human epidemiology of DON toxicity.