Zearalenone mycotoxin affects immune mediators, MAPK signalling molecules, nuclear receptors and genome-wide gene expression in pig spleen

PLoS One. 2015 May 26;10(5):e0127503. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0127503. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

The toxicity of zearalenone (ZEA) was evaluated in swine spleen, a key organ for the innate and adaptative immune response. Weaned pigs were fed for 18 days with a control or a ZEA contaminated diet. The effect of ZEA was assessed on wide genome expression, pro- (TNF-α, IL-8, IL-6, IL-1β, IFN-γ) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10, IL-4) cytokines, other molecules involved in inflammatory processes (MMPs/TIMPs), as well as signaling molecules, (p38/JNK1/JNK2-MAPKs) and nuclear receptors (PPARγ/NFkB/AP-1/STAT3/c-JUN). Microarray analysis showed that 46% of total number of differentially expressed genes was involved in cellular signaling pathway, 13% in cytokine network and 10% in the inflammatory response. ZEA increased expression and synthesis of pro- inflammatory (TNF-α, IL-8, IL-6, IL-1β) and had no effect on IFN-γ, IL-4 and IL-10 cytokines in spleen. The inflammatory stimulation might be a consequence of JNK pathway activation rather than of p-38MAPK and NF-kB involvement whose gene and protein expression were suppressed by ZEA action. In summary, our findings indicated the role of ZEA as an immune disruptor at spleen level.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Gene Expression / drug effects*
  • Gene Expression / immunology
  • Immunologic Factors / immunology
  • Immunologic Factors / metabolism
  • Inflammation / immunology
  • Inflammation / metabolism
  • Interferon-gamma / metabolism
  • Interleukins / metabolism
  • MAP Kinase Signaling System / drug effects
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism*
  • Mycotoxins / toxicity*
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism
  • Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects*
  • Signal Transduction / immunology
  • Spleen / drug effects*
  • Spleen / immunology*
  • Spleen / metabolism
  • Swine
  • Zearalenone / toxicity*

Substances

  • Immunologic Factors
  • Interleukins
  • Mycotoxins
  • NF-kappa B
  • Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear
  • Zearalenone
  • Interferon-gamma
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases

Grants and funding

This work was supported by funds from the National Research Project PNII-PCCA 2011-102/2011-2016, granted by the Romanian Ministry of Research and Technology.