The discovery could open up a new research area for exploring ways to reduce the toxic effects of fumonisin, which is found in corn that has been infected with a fungus called Fusarium. Fumonisin is known to cause a host of diseases, such as equine leukoencephalomalacia, which is a brain disease in horses, and porcine pulmonary edema, a lung disease in swine.
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2009/090526.htm