title: Zearalenone-induced changes in biochemical parameters, oxidative stress and apoptosis in cardiac tissue: Protective role of crocin.
abstract: Zearalenone (ZEN) is a mycotoxin from Fusarium species commonly found in food commodities and is known to cause reproductive disorders. Several in vivo studies have shown that ZEN is haematotoxic and hepatotoxic and causes several alterations of immunological parameters. Meantime, the available information on the cardiotoxic effects of ZEN is very much limited. In the present study, we investigated the toxic effects of ZEN in heart tissues of Balb/c mice. We demonstrated that ZEN (40 mg kg(-1) body weight (b.w.)) increased creatine phosphokinase, lactate dehydrogenase, aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, total cholesterol and triglyceride levels and induced oxidative stress as monitored by measuring the malondialdehyde level, the generation of protein carbonyls, the catalase and superoxide dismutase activity and the expression of the heat shock proteins (Hsp 70). We also demonstrated that acute administration of ZEN triggers apoptosis in cardiac tissue. Furthermore, we aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of crocin (CRO), a natural carotenoid, to prevent ZEN-induced cardiotoxicity in mice. In fact, combined treatment of ZEN with different doses of CRO (50, 100, and 250 mg kg(-1) b.w.) showed a significant reduction of ZEN-induced toxicity for all tested markers in a dose-dependent manner. It could be concluded that CRO was effective in the protection against ZEN-induced toxicity in cardiac tissue.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Research on Biologically Compatible Compounds, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Monastir, Tunisia Faculty of Sciences of Bizerte, Carthage University, Carthage, Tunisia.
authors.forename: I Ben
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Salem
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Research on Biologically Compatible Compounds, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Monastir, Tunisia Faculty of Sciences of Bizerte, Carthage University, Carthage, Tunisia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boussabbeh
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biochemistry and Toxicology, Monastir University Hospital, Monastir, Tunisia.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Neffati
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biochemistry and Toxicology, Monastir University Hospital, Monastir, Tunisia.
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Najjar
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Research on Biologically Compatible Compounds, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Monastir, Tunisia salwaabid@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abid-Essefi
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Research on Biologically Compatible Compounds, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Monastir, Tunisia.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bacha
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D066126:Cardiotoxicity / Q000517:prevention & control; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005506:Food Contamination; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D015025:Zearalenone / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D002338:Carotenoids; D015025:Zearalenone; C029036:crocin
keywords: Zearalenone; apoptosis; cardiotoxicity; crocin; oxidative stress