Differential activation of MAPKs by individual and combined ochratoxin A and citrinin treatments in porcine kidney PK15 cells

The aim of this study was to investigate the underlying mechanisms of OTA and CTN individual and combined toxicity in porcine kidney PK15 cells of proximal tubule origin. Activation and expression of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) ERK, JNK and p38 were determined by Western blot analysis. MAPKs were differentially activated by single or dual OTA and CTN treatments. Single OTA and CTN stimulated transient ERK and prolonged JNK activation, while phospho-p38 signal was more persistent after OTA treatment. Mycotoxin mixture provoked significant down-regulation of ERK activation, more prolonged phospho-p38 signal, and two-stage JNK phosphorylation pattern. In order to define the role of particular MAPKs in mycotoxin(s) cytotoxicity, we performed MTT assay with specific MAPKs inhibitors. In both individual and combined treatments JNK and p38 inhibition significantly induced cell survival. When cells were exposed to toxin mixture, inhibition of ERK also promoted cell survival, although to a lesser extent that JNK and p38 inhibition. Next we investigated the association between calcium (Ca2+) and MAPKs after OTA and/or CTN treatments, and we employed Ca2+ chelator BAPTA-AM. We demonstrated that p38 activation was significantly down-regulated in cells treated with CTN alone or OTA + CTN suggesting the role of Ca2+ in mycotoxin-induced cell death.