Activation of ERK and JNK signaling pathways by mycotoxin citrinin in human cells.
Mycotoxin citrinin (CTN) is commonly found in foods and feeds that are contaminated/inoculated with Penicillium, Aspergillus and Monascus species. The exposure of human embryonic kidney (HEK293) and HeLa cells to CTN resulted in a dose-dependent increase in the phosphorylation of two major mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), ERK1/2 and JNK. In HEK293 cultures, the administering of CTN increased both the mRNA and protein levels of egr-1, c-fos and c-jun genes; additionally, the ERK1/2 pathway contributed to the upregulation of Egr-1 and c-Fos protein expression. CTN treatment also induced the transcription activity of Egr-1 and AP-1 proteins, as evidenced by luciferase reporter assays. Bioinformatic analyses indicated two genes Gadd45 beta and MMP3 have Egr-1 and AP-1 response elements in their promoters, respectively. Furthermore, co-exposure of HEK293 cells to CTN and MAPK pathway inhibitors demonstrated that CTN increased the levels of Gadd45 beta mRNA through ERK1/2 signaling pathway and up-regulated the MMP3 transcripts majorly via JNK pathway. Finally, CTN-triggered caspase 3 activity was significantly reduced in the presence of MAPK inhibitors. Our results suggest that CTN positively regulates ERK1/2 and JNK pathways as well as their downstream effectors in human cells; activated MAPK pathways are also involved in CTN-induced apoptosis.
Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, No. 110, Sec. 1, Chien-Kuo N. Rd., Taichung 402, Taiwan.
Chia-Hao
CH
Chang
Feng-Yih
FY
Yu
Li-Ting
LT
Wang
Yi-Shen
YS
Lin
Biing-Hui
BH
Liu
D002460:Cell Line; D002953:Citrinin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D015533:Transcriptional Activation / Q000187:drug effects
D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins; D002953:Citrinin; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3