title: Cytotoxic effects of zearalenone and its metabolites and antioxidant cell defense in CHO-K1 cells.
abstract: Zearalenone (ZEA) and its metabolites (α-zearalenol; α-ZOL, β-zearalenol; β-ZOL) are secondary metabolites of Fusarium fungi that produce cell injury. The present study explores mycotoxin-induced cell damage and cellular protection mechanisms in CHO-K1 cells. Cytotoxicity has been determined by reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and DNA damage. ROS production was determined using the fluorescein assay and DNA strand breakage by comet assay. Intracellular protection systems were glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). The results demonstrated that all mycotoxins increased the ROS levels up to 5.3-fold the control levels in CHO-K1 cells. Zearalenone metabolites, but not ZEA, increased DNA damage 43% (α-ZOL) and 28% (β-ZOL) compared to control cells. The GSH levels decreased from 18% to 36%. The GPx and SOD activities respectively increased from 26% to 62% and from 23% to 69% in CHO-K1 cells, whereas CAT activity decreased from 14% to 52%. In addition, intracellular ROS production was induced by ZEA and its metabolites. The endogenous antioxidant system components GSH, GPx and SOD were activated against ZEA and its metabolites. These antioxidant system components thus could contribute to decrease cell injury by ZEA and its metabolites.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Toxicology, Dep. Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Avda. Vicent Andrés Estellés s/n, 46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain. Electronic address: elena-td@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tatay
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Toxicology, Dep. Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Avda. Vicent Andrés Estellés s/n, 46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain. Electronic address: Guillermina.font@uv.es.
authors.forename: Guillermina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Font
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Toxicology, Dep. Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Avda. Vicent Andrés Estellés s/n, 46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain. Electronic address: M.Jose.Ruiz@uv.es.
authors.forename: Maria-Jose
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Ruiz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D016466:CHO Cells; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D020552:Comet Assay; D006224:Cricetinae; D003412:Cricetulus; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000187:drug effects*; D004968:Estrogens, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D015151:Immunoblotting; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D015025:Zearalenone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015029:Zeranol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D004968:Estrogens, Non-Steroidal; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; C029659:zearalenol; D015025:Zearalenone; D015029:Zeranol; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D005978:Glutathione
keywords: Antioxidant defense system; DNA damage; ROS production; ZEA metabolites; Zearalenone