title: Zearalenone exposure affects epigenetic modifications of mouse eggs.
abstract: Zearalenone (ZEA) is a mycotoxin produced by various Fusarium fungi, which has been shown to cause several cases of mycotoxicosis in farm animals and humans. However, there is no evidence regarding the effect of ZEA on mouse egg developmental competence. In this study, we found that the activation rate of maturated oocytes was affected in mice by ZEA treatment, indicating that ZEA affects egg developmental competence. And we explored possible mechanisms of low mouse maturated oocyte developmental competence after ZEA treatment from an epigenetic modification perspective. The fluorescence intensity analysis showed that 5-methyl cytosine level increased after ZEA treatment, indicating that the general DNA methylation level increased in the treated eggs. Moreover, histone methylations were also altered: H3K4me2 as well as H3K9me3 and H4K20me1, me2, me3 levels decreased in eggs that were cultured in high-dose ZEA medium. Thus, our results indicated that ZEA decreased egg developmental competence by affecting the epigenetic modifications.
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China and Department of Animal Sciences, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 361-763, Korea.
authors.forename: Cheng-Cheng
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China and Department of Animal Sciences, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 361-763, Korea.
authors.forename: Yan-Jun
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China and Department of Animal Sciences, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 361-763, Korea.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 361-763, Korea.
authors.forename: Xiang-Shun
authors.initials: XS
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 361-763, Korea.
authors.forename: Nam-Hyung
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China and Department of Animal Sciences, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 361-763, Korea sunsc@njau.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Shao-Chen
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D019175:DNA Methylation / Q000187:drug effects; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008239:Lysine / Q000378:metabolism; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D010063:Ovum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D015025:Zearalenone / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D006657:Histones; D015025:Zearalenone; D008239:Lysine