Interactive effects of fumonisin B1 and α-zearalenol on proliferation and cytokine expression in Jurkat T cells

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of fungi that grow on various food and feed. These compounds elicit a wide spectrum of toxicological effects, including the capacity to alter normal immune function. Feed commodities are usually contaminated with more than one mycotoxin; however, extensive information on the interaction between concomitantly occurring mycotoxins and the consequence for their toxicity is lacking. In the present study, we examined the effects in vitro of fumonisin B1 (FB1) and α-zearalenol (α-ZEA), alone or in combination, on the immune function in the human lymphoblastoid Jurkat T cell line. Treatment of cells with increasing concentrations of FB1 resulted in a dose-dependent induction of proliferation. In contrast, α-ZEA showed a marked inhibitory effect on cell proliferation, even at very low doses, essentially mediated by apoptosis. In stimulated cells pre-incubated with FB1, the levels of IL-2 and IFN γ mRNAs were similar to control whereas a reduction of cytokine transcripts was reported following α-ZEA treatment. Interestingly, co-administration of mycotoxins resulted in further inhibition of both proliferation and IFN γ mRNA expression when compared with α-ZEA alone. In conclusion, FB1 and α-ZEA showed different immunomodulation abilities when individually administered. Combination of mycotoxins resulted instead in interactive effects.