Effects of zearalenone on calcium homeostasis of splenic lymphocytes of chickens in vitro

• Published in: Poultry science Vol. 91; no. 8; pp. 1956 - 1963
• Main Authors: Wang, Y. C., Deng, J. L., Xu, S. W., Peng, X., Zuo, Z. C., Cui, H. M., Wang, Y., Ren, Z. H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Oxford University Press 01.08.2012
• Subjects: Animals; Calcium - metabolism; Calcium-Transporting ATPases - metabolism; Cells, Cultured; Chickens - metabolism; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; Homeostasis - drug effects; Homeostasis - physiology; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Lymphocytes - drug effects; Lymphocytes - physiology; RNA, Messenger - genetics; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase - metabolism; Spleen - cytology; Zearalenone - toxicity; mycotoxin; calcium homeostasis; zearalenone; calmodulin; ATPase
• ISSN: 0032-5791; 1525-3171
• DOI: 10.3382/ps.2011-02128

ABSTRACT Zearalenone (ZEA) is an estrogenic mycotoxin. It is produced by several Fusarium species and can contaminate food and feed. To investigate the role of calcium homeostasis in ZEA-induced toxicity of poultry and elucidate its cytotoxic mechanism, splenic lymphocytes isolated from chickens were exposed to ZEA (0–25 μg/mL) for 48 h. The intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i), pH, calmodulin (CaM) mRNA levels, and Na+/K+-ATPase activities and Ca2+-ATPase activities were detected by the fluorescent dyes Fluo-3/AM and BCECF/AM, quantitative real-time PCR, and chromatometry. Supernatant CaM concentrations were simultaneously detected by ELISA. As the ZEA exposure concentration increased, the [Ca2+]i and CaM mRNA levels gradually increased, while intracellular pH, CaM concentrations of supernatants, and intracellular Na+,K+-ATPase and Ca2+-ATPase activities gradually decreased in a dose-dependent manner. There were significant differences (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01) between the treatment groups and the control group. These results indicate that ZEA cytotoxicity arises by causing an imbalance in calcium homeostasis and intracellular acidification in lymphocytes.