Toxicity mechanisms of the food contaminant citrinin: application of a quantitative yeast model

Mycotoxins are important food contaminants and a serious threat for human nutrition. However, in many cases the mechanisms of toxicity for this diverse group of metabolites are poorly understood. Here we apply live cell gene expression reporters in yeast as a quantitative model to unravel the cellular defense mechanisms in response to the mycotoxin citrinin. We find that citrinin triggers a fast and dose dependent activation of stress responsive promoters such as GRE2 or SOD2. More specifically, oxidative stress responsive pathways via the transcription factors Yap1 and Skn7 are critically implied in the response to citrinin. Additionally, genes in various multidrug resistance transport systems are functionally involved in the resistance to citrinin. Our study identifies the antioxidant defense as a major physiological response in the case of citrinin. In general, our results show that the use of live cell gene expression reporters in yeast are a powerful tool to identify toxicity targets and detoxification mechanisms of a broad range of food contaminants relevant for human nutrition.

Mechanisms of Mycotoxin-induced Dermal Toxicity and Tumorigenesis Through Oxidative Stress-related Pathways

Among the many mycotoxins, T-2 toxin, citrinin (CTN), patulin (PAT), aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and ochratoxin A (OTA) are known to have the potential to induce dermal toxicity and/or tumorigenesis in rodent models. T-2 toxin, CTN, PAT and OTA induce apoptosis in mouse or rat skin. PAT, AFB1 and OTA have tumor initiating properties, and OTA is also a tumor promoter in mouse skin. This paper reviews the molecular mechanisms of dermal toxicity and tumorigenesis induced in rodent models by these mycotoxins especially from the viewpoint of oxidative stress-mediated pathways.

RNAi-mediated knockdown of catalase causes cell cycle arrest in SL-1 cells and results in low survival rate of Spodoptera litura (Fabricius)

Deregulated reactive oxygen species (ROS) production can lead to the disruption of structural and functional integrity of cells as a consequence of reactive interaction between ROS and various biological components. Catalase (CAT) is a common enzyme existing in nearly all organisms exposed to oxygen, which decomposes harmful hydrogen peroxide, into water and oxygen. In this study, the full length sequence that encodes CAT-like protein from Spodoptera litura named siltCAT (GenBank accession number: JQ_663444) was cloned and characterized. Amino acid sequence alignment showed siltCAT shared relatively high conservation with other insect, especially the conserved residues which defined heme and NADPH orientation. Expression pattern analysis showed that siltCAT mRNA was mainly expressed in the fat body, midgut, cuticle and malpighian tube, and as well as over last instar larvae, pupa and adult stages. RNA interference was used to silence CAT gene in SL-1 cells and the fourth-instar stage of S. litura larvae respectively. Our results provided evidence that CAT knockdown induced ROS generation, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in SL-1 cells. It also confirmed the decrease in survival rate because of increased ROS production in experimental groups injected with double-stranded RNA of CAT (dsCAT). This study implied that ROS scavenging by CAT is important for S. litura survival.

Oxidative DNA damage is involved in ochratoxin A-induced G2 arrest through ataxia telangiectasia-mutated (ATM) pathways in human gastric epithelium GES-1 cells in vitro

Ochratoxin A (OTA), one of the most abundant mycotoxin food contaminants, is classified as "possibly carcinogenic to humans." Our previous study showed that OTA could induce a G2 arrest in immortalized human gastric epithelium cells (GES-1). To explore the putative roles of oxidative DNA damage and the ataxia telangiectasia-mutated (ATM) pathways on the OTA-induced G2 arrest, the current study systematically evaluated the roles of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, DNA damage, and ATM-dependent pathway activation on the OTA-induced G2 phase arrest in GES-1 cells. The results showed that OTA exposure elevated intracellular ROS production, which directly induced DNA damage and increased the levels of 8-OHdG and DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). In addition, it was found that OTA treatment induced the phosphorylation of the ATM protein, as well as its downstream molecules Chk2 and p53, in response to DNA DSBs. Inhibition of ATM by the pharmacological inhibitor caffeine or siRNA effectively prevented the activation of ATM-dependent pathways and rescued the G2 arrest elicited by OTA. Finally, pretreatment with the antioxidant N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) reduced the OTA-induced DNA DSBs, ATM phosphorylation, and G2 arrest. In conclusion, the results of this study suggested that OTA-induced oxidative DNA damage triggered the ATM-dependent pathways, which ultimately elicited a G2 arrest in GES-1 cells.

Applications of flow cytometry to toxicological mycotoxin effects in cultured mammalian cells: a review

This review gives an overview of flow cytometry applications to toxicological studies of several physiological target sites of mycotoxins on different mammalian cell lines. Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of fungi that may be present in food, feed, air and water. The increasing presence of mycotoxins in crops, their wide distribution in the food chain, and their potential for toxicity demonstrate the need for further knowledge. Flow cytometry has become a valuable tool in mycotoxin studies in recent years for the rapid analysis of single cells in a mixture. In toxicology, the power of these methods lies in the possibility of determining a wide range of cell parameters, providing valuable information to elucidate cell growth and viability, metabolic activity, mitochondrial membrane potential and membrane integrity mechanisms. There are studies using flow cytometry technique on Alternaria, Aspergillus, Fusarium and Penicillium mycotoxins including information about cell type, assay conditions and functional parameters. Most of the studies collected in the literature are on deoxynivalenol and zearalenone mycotoxins. Cell cycle analysis and apoptosis are the processes more widely investigated.

Topical application of ochratoxin A causes DNA damage and tumor initiation in mouse skin

Skin cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer and 2-3 million new cases are being diagnosed globally each year. Along with UV rays, environmental pollutants/chemicals including mycotoxins, contaminants of various foods and feed stuffs, could be one of the aetiological factors of skin cancer. In the present study, we evaluated the DNA damaging potential and dermal carcinogenicity of a mycotoxin, ochratoxin A (OTA), with the rationale that dermal exposure to OTA in workers may occur during their involvement in pre and post harvest stages of agriculture. A single topical application of OTA (20-80 µg/mouse) resulted in significant DNA damage along with elevated γ-H2AX level in skin. Alteration in oxidative stress markers such as lipid peroxidation, protein carbonyl, glutathione content and antioxidant enzymes was observed in a dose (20-80 µg/mouse) and time-dependent (12-72 h) manner. The oxidative stress was further emphasized by the suppression of Nrf2 translocation to nucleus following a single topical application of OTA (80 µg/mouse) after 24 h. OTA (80 µg/mouse) application for 12-72 h caused significant enhancement in- (a) reactive oxygen species generation, (b) activation of ERK1/2, p38 and JNK MAPKs, (c) cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase (37-67%), (d) induction of apoptosis (2.0-11.0 fold), (e) expression of p53, p21/waf1, (f) Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, (g) cytochrome c level, (h) activities of caspase 9 (1.2-1.8 fold) and 3 (1.7-2.2 fold) as well as poly ADP ribose polymerase cleavage. In a two-stage mouse skin tumorigenesis protocol, it was observed that a single topical application of OTA (80 µg/mouse) followed by twice weekly application of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate for 24 week leads to tumor formation. These results suggest that OTA has skin tumor initiating property which may be related to oxidative stress, MAPKs signaling and DNA damage.

Evaluation of nephrotoxic effects of mycotoxins, citrinin and patulin, on zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos

Citrinin (CTN) and patulin (PAT) are fungal secondary metabolites which are found in food and feed and showed organotoxicity in mature animals. In this study zebrafish embryos were applied to investigate the developmental toxicity of CTN and PAT on embryonic kidney. In the presence of CTN and PAT, the gross morphology of kidneys from embryos with green fluorescent kidney (wt1b:GFP) was not apparently altered. Histological analysis of CTN-treated embryos indicated cystic glomerular and tubular lesions; a disorganized arrangement of renal cells was also found in the PAT-treated group. From the view point of renal function, dextran clearance abilities of embryos exposed to CTN and PAT were significantly reduced. The damaged renal function caused by CTN could be partially rescued by the administration of pentoxifylline, suggesting the reduction of glomerular blood flow contributes to CTN-induced renal dysfunction. Additionally, CTN induced the expression of proinflammation genes, including COX2a, TNF-α and IL-1β, but failed to modify the levels and distribution of wt1a transcript and Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase protein. In summary, CTN and PAT caused profound nephrotoxicity in histological structure and biological function of zebrafish embryos; the inflammatory pathway and blood rheology may involve in CTN-induced renal impairment.

Cuprous oxide nanoparticles selectively induce apoptosis of tumor cells

In the rapid development of nanoscience and nanotechnology, many researchers have discovered that metal oxide nanoparticles have very useful pharmacological effects. Cuprous oxide nanoparticles (CONPs) can selectively induce apoptosis and suppress the proliferation of tumor cells, showing great potential as a clinical cancer therapy. Treatment with CONPs caused a G1/G0 cell cycle arrest in tumor cells. Furthermore, CONPs enclosed in vesicles entered, or were taken up by mitochondria, which damaged their membranes, thereby inducing apoptosis. CONPs can also produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) and initiate lipid peroxidation of the liposomal membrane, thereby regulating many signaling pathways and influencing the vital movements of cells. Our results demonstrate that CONPs have selective cytotoxicity towards tumor cells, and indicate that CONPs might be a potential nanomedicine for cancer therapy.