title: The toxic effects of microcystin-LR on mouse lungs and alveolar type II epithelial cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Microcystin-leucine arginine (MC-LR) is produced by cyanobacteria and can accumulate in lungs through blood circulation. However, the effect of MC-LR on lung remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the chronic, low-dose effect of MC-LR on mouse lung tissues and the influence of MC-LR on mouse alveolar type II epithelial cells (ATII cells).
  
  
  METHODS
  MC-LR was orally administered to mice at 0, 1, 10, and 40 μg/L for 6 consecutive months and mouse lungs were obtained for histopathological and immunoblot analysis. ATII cells were cultured in various concentrations of MC-LR (0, 0.5, 5, 50, 500 nmol/L) for indicated time and the cell viability and proteins change were tested.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our study revealed that the chronic, low-dose MC-LR exposure induced alveolar collapse and lung cell apoptosis as well as the breach of cell junction integrity. Furthermore, following treatment with MC-LR, ATII cells could uptake MC-LR, resulting in apoptosis and disruption of cell junction integrity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data support the toxic potential of low-dose MC-LR in rendering chronic injury to lung tissues.
authors.affiliation: Immunology and Reproduction Biology Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China.
authors.forename: Cong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Immunology and Reproduction Biology Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China.
authors.forename: Shen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.affiliation: Immunology and Reproduction Biology Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoqin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Immunology and Reproduction Biology Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China.
authors.forename: Mingming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Mucosal Immunobiology and Vaccine Research Center, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Zou
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.affiliation: Immunology and Reproduction Biology Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China.
authors.forename: Zutong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Immunology and Reproduction Biology Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China.
authors.forename: Honghui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Immunology and Reproduction Biology Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China.
authors.forename: Xiannan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA.
authors.forename: Kebin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Immunology and Reproduction Biology Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China. Electronic address: hanxd@nju.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xiaodong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D000458:Cyanobacteria / Q000737:chemistry; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D008168:Lung / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D008387:Marine Toxins; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D052998:Microcystins / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D008387:Marine Toxins; D052998:Microcystins; C057862:cyanoginosin LR
keywords: Chronic low dose; Lung; Microcystin-LR; Toxic