Distribution and excretion of N15-chlorcholinchloride by laying hens

The metabolite products of chlorocholine chloride (CCC) in eggs and meat of laying hens fed 15N-CCC containing diets

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the metabolic products of chlorocholine chloride (CCC) in eggs and meat of laying hens fed a diet containing (15)N-CCC. Ten brown laying hens were randomly divided into two groups of five each. One group was offered (15)N-CCC free diet while the other group received a diet with 100 ppm (15)N-CCC for 11 days. Samples of eggs and meat from the laying hens were collected. Egg yolks and albumen were separated. Meat was collected from the breast and femur. The metabolic products of CCC were measured using ion trap electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (ion trap-ESI-MS/MS). Determination of CCC or its metabolites in eggs and meat showed that CCC was metabolised to choline. Corresponding MS/MS spectra were obtained for m/z 104 (choline) or 105 ((15)N-choline), whereas nothing was detected at m/z 122 (CCC) or 123 ((15)N-CCC). The results from this study indicate that CCC will be metabolised in tissues of laying hens.

Influence of chlorocholinechloride-treated wheat on selected in vitro fertility parameters in male mice

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of feeding with food and water containing chlorocholinechloride (CCC) on the fertility of male mice in a two-generation study. For this purpose the number of testicular spermatozoa and the relative proportion of primary and secondary spermatocytes involved in spermatogenesis were measured. Furthermore, the fertility of epididymal spermatozoa from tested male mice was investigated in a special in-vitro fertilization system. The experimental food was composed of CCC-treated wheat in the first experiment and CCC-free wheat and water mixed with pure CCC in the second experiment. The CCC residue content in the treated food and water was 0.21 mg/kg and 0.2 mg/L, respectively. Under the influence of feeding with CCC-treated wheat (Experiment 1) the fertilization and cleavage rates of oocytes incubated with spermatozoa from CCC-fed mice were reduced: the fertilization rate 65.1% vs. 21.1% and the cleavage rate 51.9% vs. 20.3%, p < 0.01 (control feeding vs. CCC feeding, respectively). Feeding of sperm donors with pure CCC mixed with untreated wheat pellets or water (Experiment 2) led to a reduction in the fertilization and cleavage rate (control: 60.8%, 32.4%; CCC-food: 29.8%, 12.1%; CCC-water: 30.1%, 10.2%; CCC-food/water: 36.6%, 12.5%; p < 0.01, respectively). The normal course of spermatogenesis was unchanged after the exposure to CCC. Testicular weight, the number of spermatozoa, and the proportion of haploid, diploid, and tetraploid testicular cells were not influenced. However, the functional competence of epididymal spermatozoa from CCC-fed donors was reduced, resulting in a significantly diminished fertilization and cleavage rate in vitro. The results suggest that CCC could interfere with epididymal protein secretion and the process of sperm maturation during passage through the epididymis.