title: Effect of mycotoxin-containing diets on epigenetic modifications of mouse oocytes by fluorescence microscopy analysis.
abstract: Mycotoxins, such as aflatoxin (AF), fumonisin B1, zearalenone (ZEA), and deoxynivalenol (DON), are commonly found in many food commodities. Mycotoxins have been shown to increase DNA methylation levels in a human intestinal cell line. We previously showed that the developmental competence of oocytes was affected in mice that had been fed a mycotoxin-containing diet. In this study, we explored possible mechanisms of low mouse oocyte developmental competence after mycotoxin treatment in an epigenetic modification perspective. Mycotoxin-contaminated maize (DON at 3,875 μg/kg, ZEA at 1,897 μg/kg, and AF at 806 μg/kg) was included in diets at three different doses (mass percentage: 0, 15, and 30%) and fed to mice for 4 weeks. The fluorescence intensity analysis showed that the general DNA methylation levels increased in oocytes from high dose mycotoxin-fed mice. Mouse oocyte histone methylation was also altered. H3K9me3 and H4K20me3 level increased in oocytes from mycotoxin-fed mice, whereas H3K27me3 and H4K20me2 level decreased in oocytes from mycotoxin-fed mice. Thus, our results indicate that naturally occurring mycotoxins have effects on epigenetic modifications in mouse oocytes, which may be one of the reasons for reduced oocyte developmental competence.
authors.affiliation: 1College of Animal Science and Technology,Nanjing Agricultural University,Nanjing 210095,China.
authors.forename: Cheng-Cheng
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: 1College of Animal Science and Technology,Nanjing Agricultural University,Nanjing 210095,China.
authors.forename: Yan-Jun
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: 1College of Animal Science and Technology,Nanjing Agricultural University,Nanjing 210095,China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: 1College of Animal Science and Technology,Nanjing Agricultural University,Nanjing 210095,China.
authors.forename: Hong-Lin
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: 2Department of Animal Sciences,Chungbuk National University,Cheongju 361-763,Korea.
authors.forename: Xiang-Shun
authors.initials: XS
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: 2Department of Animal Sciences,Chungbuk National University,Cheongju 361-763,Korea.
authors.forename: Nam-Hyung
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: 1College of Animal Science and Technology,Nanjing Agricultural University,Nanjing 210095,China.
authors.forename: Shao-Chen
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D019175:DNA Methylation; D004032:Diet / Q000379:methods; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects*; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009183:Mycotoxins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D009865:Oocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational
chemical_list: D006657:Histones; D009183:Mycotoxins; D004247:DNA