Comparative aspects of in vitro proliferation of human and porcine lymphocytes exposed to mycotoxins

Abstract

Mycotoxins are fungal secondary metabolites that elicit a wide spectrum of toxicological effects, including the alteration of normal immune function. In the present study we investigated the independent effect of four mycotoxins, aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁), fumonisin B₁ (FB₁), deoxynivalenol (DON) and nivalenol (NIV), on lymphocyte proliferation using human and porcine lymphocytes. Human and porcine peripheral blood mononuclear cells and porcine splenocytes were cultured with increasing concentrations of mycotoxins for 72 hours and labelled in the last 24 hours with [methyl-³H]-thymidine. The results showed that increased concentrations of AFB₁, DON and NIV affected the [methyl-³H]-thymidine cellular proliferation following mitogen stimulation in both species and cell types. Lower concentrations of mycotoxins enhanced cellular proliferation, which was more pronounced in human than in porcine cells, while higher concentrations caused a dose-dependent decrease. DON and NIV were the most potent mycotoxin in both species and both cell types. Based on the results of this in vitro study, high correlations were found between proliferation of human and porcine lymphocytes after mycotoxin exposure, especially for DON and NIV.

Keywords:

• blood
• humans
• lymphocyte proliferation
• mycotoxins
• pigs
• splenocytes

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by funds from the region Midi-Pyrénées, France (DAER-Rech/99008345) and the Transversalité INRA (mycotoxines-P00263). Dr I. Taranu was the recipient of an INRA post-doctoral fellowship. Dr D. Marin was supported by the “Réseau Formation-Recherche”, a bilateral project between France and Romania granted by the “Ministère de l'Éducation Nationale” and the “Ministère de la Recherche” (Paris, France).