title: Mycotoxins co-contamination: Methodological aspects and biological relevance of combined toxicity studies.
abstract: Mycotoxins are secondary fungal metabolites produced mainly by Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Fusarium. As evidenced by large-scale surveys, humans and animals are simultaneously exposed to several mycotoxins. Simultaneous exposure could result in synergistic, additive or antagonistic effects. However, most toxicity studies addressed the effects of mycotoxins separately. We present the experimental designs and we discuss the conclusions drawn from in vitro experiments exploring toxicological interactions of mycotoxins. We report more than 80 publications related to mycotoxin interactions. The studies explored combinations involving the regulated groups of mycotoxins, especially aflatoxins, ochratoxins, fumonisins, zearalenone and trichothecenes, but also the "emerging" mycotoxins beauvericin and enniatins. Over 50 publications are based on the arithmetic model of additivity. Few studies used the factorial designs or the theoretical biology-based models of additivity. The latter approaches are gaining increased attention. These analyses allow determination of the type of interaction and, optionally, its magnitude. The type of interaction reported for mycotoxin combinations depended on several factors, in particular cell models and the tested dose ranges. However, synergy among Fusarium toxins was highlighted in several studies. This review indicates that well-addressed in vitro studies remain valuable tools for the screening of interactive potential in mycotoxin mixtures.
authors.affiliation: a Toxalim , Research Centre in Food Toxicology Université de Toulouse, INRA, ENVT, INP- PURPAN, UPS , Toulouse , France.|b Hôpital d'Instruction des Armées Camp Guézo , Cotonou , Bénin.
authors.forename: Imourana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Alassane-Kpembi
authors.affiliation: c Biomin Research Center , Tulln , Austria.
authors.forename: Gerd
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schatzmayr
authors.affiliation: d National Institute for Research and Development in Animal Biology and Nutrition (IBNA), Calea Bucuresti , Balotesti , Romania.
authors.forename: Ionelia
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Taranu
authors.affiliation: d National Institute for Research and Development in Animal Biology and Nutrition (IBNA), Calea Bucuresti , Balotesti , Romania.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marin
authors.affiliation: a Toxalim , Research Centre in Food Toxicology Université de Toulouse, INRA, ENVT, INP- PURPAN, UPS , Toulouse , France.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Puel
authors.affiliation: a Toxalim , Research Centre in Food Toxicology Université de Toulouse, INRA, ENVT, INP- PURPAN, UPS , Toulouse , France.
authors.forename: Isabelle Paule
authors.initials: IP
authors.lastname: Oswald
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D037341:Fumonisins; D006801:Humans; D009183:Mycotoxins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D009793:Ochratoxins; D014255:Trichothecenes
chemical_list: D037341:Fumonisins; D009183:Mycotoxins; D009793:Ochratoxins; D014255:Trichothecenes
keywords: Additivity; antagonism; multi-contamination; mycotoxins; synergy; toxicological interactions