Long-term effects of ochratoxin A on fibrosis and cell death in human proximal tubule or fibroblast cells in primary culture

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin produced by several fungi which grow on human food source material. Consumption of OTA is almost unavoidable. The consumption leads to low but detectable amounts of OTA in human blood. Risk assessment of OTA is based on studies performed either in animals or cultured cells. So far, mainly cell lines of different origin were used. To be as close as possible to the situation in humans with respect to the experimental setup, we studied the effect of OTA in human proximal tubule cells (RPTEC) and human fibroblasts in primary culture. OTA was administered at concentrations ranging from 0.3 nmol/l up to 10 μmol/l for time periods up to 14 days. Apoptotic and necrotic cell death, collagen I, III, IV and fibronectin secretion as well as NF-κB activation were studied. Under our experimental conditions OTA exerted comparable effects on caspase-3 activity and necrosis in both cell types, however RPTEC were more sensitive (order of 10). Surprisingly, very low concentrations of OTA (0.3–10 nM) led to cell hypertrophy during prolonged exposure (14 days). RPTEC but not fibroblasts responded with an increase of NF-κB activity and collagen III as well as fibronectin secretion underlining the profibrotic action of OTA in the kidney. Collagen I and IV secretion was only slightly changed. The results presented here give good reasons to re-asses the risk of OTA consumption leading to low blood concentrations which have so far been considered harmless.