Interactions of zearalenone with native and chemically modified cyclodextrins and their potential utilization

•Interactions of zearalenone (ZEA) with cyclodextrins (CDs) were investigated.•CDs form stable complexes with ZEA and strongly enhance its fluorescence.•CDs form more stable complexes with nonionic ZEA than with its deprotonated form.•Some of the CDs are able to inhibit cellular uptake of ZEA.

Zearalenone (ZEA) is a widespread xenoestrogenic mycotoxin produced by several Fusarium species. ZEA can cause reproductive disorders in farm animals and hyperoestrogenic syndromes in humans; therefore, development of more sensitive analytical methods (to quantify the mycotoxin) as well as strategies for prevention of its toxic impacts is highly important. In this study, the interactions of ZEA with native and chemically modified cyclodextrins (CDs) were investigated using fluorescence spectroscopy. Furthermore, in vitro experiments on liver cells were also performed to test the potential effect of CDs on toxin uptake. Our results demonstrate that ZEA forms stable complexes with CDs (log K values are approximately 3.7–4.7) resulting in the considerable elevation of its fluorescence signal. In addition, some of the CDs show ability to inhibit the cellular uptake of ZEA, suggesting their potential suitability to develop new CD-based preventive/detoxification strategies against ZEA in the future.