Distribution of 14C-ochratoxin A in the mouse monitored by whole-body autoradiography.

The tissue distribution of 14C-labeled ochratoxin A was studied in mouse using whole-body autoradiography. The distribution was followed for 18 days after one single intravenous injection of 5 microCi/animal, corresponding to 160-230 ng toxin/g body weight. Very long persistence of 14C-ochratoxin A in the circulation was noticed and the toxin was detected in the blood even after 18 days when the experiment was finished. The radioactivity in the kidney was unequally distributed with a slightly higher concentration in the inner cortical and medullary parts. This was seen from 24 hrs and on after injection. Very high concentrations of radioactivity were found in the bile of treated animals. The radioactivity extracted from several sections was chemically characterized with thin-layer chromatography and was found to represent 14C-ochratoxin A.