Repression of protein kinase C and stimulation of cyclic AMP response elements by fumonisin, a fungal encoded toxin which is a carcinogen

• Published in: Cancer research (Chicago, Ill.) Vol. 55; no. 8; pp. 1655 - 1659
• Main Authors: CHONGXI HUANG, DICKMAN, M, HENDERSON, G, JONES, C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia, PA American Association for Cancer Research 15.04.1995
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Blotting, Western; Carcinogenesis, carcinogens and anticarcinogens; Carcinogens - toxicity; Cell Line; Cercopithecus aethiops; Cyclic AMP - metabolism; Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases - metabolism; DNA - drug effects; DNA - metabolism; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Enzyme Repression; Foods and miscellaneous; Fumonisins; Fusarium moniliforme; Gene Expression - drug effects; Humans; Kidney; Medical sciences; Mycotoxins - toxicity; Protein Kinase C - biosynthesis; Restriction Mapping; Sphingosine - pharmacology; Transcription Factor AP-1 - metabolism; Transcription, Genetic - drug effects; Transfection; Tumors; Protein kinase C; Enzyme; Mycotoxin; Cyclic AMP; Gene expression; Carcinogenesis; In vitro; Kidney; Fungi; Carcinogen; Toxin; Signal transduction; Animal; Established cell line; Fungi Imperfecti; Mechanism of action; Fusarium moniliforme; Thallophyta
• ISSN: 0008-5472; 1538-7445

Fusarium moniliforme (FM) is a major fungal pathogen of corn and is involved with stalk rot disease. FM is widely spread throughout the world, including the United States. Most strains of FM produce several mycotoxins, the most prominent of which is called fumonisin. Recent epidemiological studies indicated that ingestion of fumonisin correlates with a higher incidence of esophageal cancer in Southern and Northern Africa and China. Furthermore, fumonisin causes a neurodegenerative disease in horses, induces hepatic cancer in rats, and induces pulmonary edema in swine. Considering that high levels of fumonisin have been detected in healthy and diseased corn grown in the United States, fumonisin may pose a health threat to humans and livestock animals. Structurally, fumonisin resembles sphingolipids which are present in the membranes of animal and plant cells. At the present time, very little is known concerning the mechanism by which fumonisin elicits its carcinogenic effect. Our studies indicate that fumonisin represses expression of protein kinase C and AP-1-dependent transcription. In contrast, fumonisin stimulated a simple promoter containing a single cyclic AMP response element. Since fumonisin did not alter protein kinase A activity, it appears that cyclic AMP response element activation was independent of protein kinase A. It is hypothesized that the ability of fumonisin to alter signal transduction pathways plays a role in carcinogenesis.