Inhibitory effect of citrinin on lipopolisaccharide-induced nitric oxide production by mouse macrophage cells

• Published in: Mycotoxin research Vol. 29; no. 4; pp. 229 - 234
• Main Authors: Sugiyama, Kei-ichi, Yamazaki, Rino, Kinoshita, Mawo, Kamata, Yoichi, Tani, Fumito, Minai, Yuji, Sugita-Konishi, Yoshiko
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.11.2013; Springer Berlin Heidelberg; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: adverse effects; Animals; Aspergillus; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Blotting, Western; Cell Line; Cell Survival - immunology; Chemistry/Food Science; citrinin; Citrinin - immunology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fungi - immunology; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic - drug effects; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic - immunology; Immunotoxicity; Life Sciences; lipopolysaccharides; Lipopolysaccharides - pharmacology; macrophages; Macrophages - enzymology; Macrophages - immunology; Medical Microbiology; Medicine/Public Health; Mice; Microbiology; Monascus; Mycology; Mycotoxins; Nitric oxide; Nitric Oxide - analysis; Nitric Oxide - biosynthesis; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II - antagonists & inhibitors; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II - immunology; Original Paper; Pathogenicity, host-agent relations, miscellaneous strains, epidemiology; Pathogens; Penicillium; Toxicity; Toxins; Lipopolysaccharide; Citrinin; Inducible nitric oxide synthase; Macrophage; Mycotoxin; Rodentia; Toxin; Vertebrata; Antibiotic; Mammalia; Mouse; Nitric oxide; Production; Inhibitor
• ISSN: 0178-7888; 1867-1632
• DOI: 10.1007/s12550-013-0175-x

The present study evaluated the immunotoxicity of citrinin (CIT), a mycotoxin produced by several Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Monascus species. Because nitric oxide (NO), a pro-inflammatory mediator, plays an important role in the protection from pathogens, we addressed the effect of CIT on NO production by a mouse macrophage-like cell line RAW264 activated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). LPS-induced NO release from RAW264 cells was inhibited by CIT. Moreover, the transcription and expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) by LPS was suppressed by CIT. These results show that CIT suppressed the LPS-induced NO production and iNOS expression, which contribute to the host protection against invading pathogens. This suggests that CIT on LPS-induced NO release may exert adverse effects in macrophages, indicating immunotoxic effects of this toxin. .