Aflatoxin B1 induced upregulation of protein arginine methyltransferase 5 in human cell lines

• Aflatoxin B1 induces the protein arginine methyltransferase 5 gene expression in time and dose dependent manner.
• PRMT5 protein is unregulated in multiples cells upon aflatoxin B1 treatment.
• Aflatoxin B1 increases the global symmetric arginine methylation.

The exposure of naturally occurring mycotoxins affects human health and play a vital role in cancer initiation and progression. Aflatoxin B1 is a difuranocoumarin mycotoxin, classified as a group I carcinogen. The present study was conducted to assess the effect of aflatoxin B1 on epigenetic regulatory proteins. The protein arginine methyltransferase 5 expression was induced upon aflatoxin B1 treatment in a dose and time dependent manner. Further global arginine methylation was also increased in the same manner. This is the first report showing the induction of epigenetic regulatory protein, protein arginine methyltransferase 5 upon aflatoxin B1 treatment. Further study is required to establish the detailed pathway of PRMT5 induction.