antigen and p53, a protein regulating the cell cycle, were increased. Synthesis T-2 mycotoxin is produced naturally by Fusarium fungi of which the most important species are: F. sporotrichioides, F. langsethiae, F. acuminatum and F. poae. These fungi are found in grains such as barley, wheat and oats. The production of this compound for research and commercial purposes is generally accomplished by cultivating some strain of T-2 mycotoxin producing fungi on agar plates. On these agar plates the fungi appear powdery and can yield substantial amounts of T-2 mycotoxin. For the isolation of the compound high pressure liquid chromatography is commonly used (HPLC). In the Fusarium species, biosynthesis of the T-2 mycotoxin often starts with trichodiene, and many of the species share a common route of oxidizations and cyclizations. As an example, from the F. sporotrichioides species, the important oxidation steps that occur start from trichodiene and goes to isotrichodiol. From there, the eleventh carbon atom is oxidized to form isotrichotriol. The ninth carbon is then oxidized, and trichotriol is formed, which then cyclizes to make isotrichodermol. After that, the fifteenth carbon is oxidized to form didecalonectrin, which leads to the fourth carbon being oxidized, and diacetoxyscirpenol is formed. The second to last step is the oxidation of the eighth carbon to make neosolaniol, which then undergoes slight modification to create the T-2 toxin. Toxicity ADME Properties Absorption & Exposure Humans and animals are generally exposed to T-2 mycotoxins through food. Certain grains can contain the toxin which makes it a threat to human health and an economic burden. Unlike most biological toxins T-2 mycotoxin can be absorbed through intact skin. The compound can be delivered via food, water, droplets, aerosols and smoke from various dispersal systems. This makes it a potential biological weapon, however large amounts of the compound are required for a lethal dose. T-2 mycotoxin has an of approximately 1 milligram per kilogram of body weight. The EFSA estimates that the mean exposure of T-2 in the EU lies between 12 and 43 ng/kg bw/day. This range is below the TDI of 100 ng/ kg body weight for the sum of HT-2 and T-2 toxins which is used by the EFSA. Distribution T-2 mycotoxin is distributed uniformly throughout the body without preference to a specific organ or site. In rodents, plasma concentration levels peak around roughly thirty minutes after exposure, and in one study, the half-life of