| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2602487 | Toxicology in Vitro | 2015 | 6 Pages |
•AFB1 cytotoxicity was evaluated by the MTT, DCFH-DA and fluorescent PicoGreen assays.•β-glucan showed genoprotective effect on lymphocytes exposed to AFB1.•The genoprotective effect of β-glucan was confirmed by the alkaline comet assay.
The polysaccharide β-glucan presents beneficial effects on the immune system, although the mechanisms of the immunomodulatory effect remain poorly understood. The potential cytoprotective and genoprotective effects of β-glucans were evaluated in broiler chicken lymphocytes exposed to increasing concentrations of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and/or β-glucans. AFB1 significantly decreased cell viability at the concentrations of 10 and 20 μg/ml at 72 h of incubation (p < 0.01 and p < 0.001, respectively). Moreover, the AFB1 concentrations of 1, 10 and 20 μg/ml increased DNA fragmentation levels at 24 h (p < 0.001). Conversely, lymphocyte death was prevented by β-glucans at the concentrations of 1% and 10%, indicating a cytoprotective effect. Reactive oxygen species levels were increased in the cells treated with 20 μg/ml AFB1 at 24 h (p < 0.05) and 10% β-glucans with or without AFB1 at 24, 48 and 72 h of incubation (p < 0.001). DNA damage increased by more than 100% in AFB1-treated lymphocytes when compared to control group. β-glucans at 1% was able to fully revert the AFB1-induced lymphocyte DNA damage, indicating a genoprotective effect and maintaining DNA integrity. In conclusion, β-glucans showed in vitro dose-dependent cytoprotective and genoprotective effects in broiler chicken lymphocytes exposed to AFB1.
