Lipid peroxidation and glutathione levels in porcine kidney PK15 cells after individual and combined treatment with fumonisin B(1), beauvericin and ochratoxin A.

Individual and combined effects of the mycotoxins fumonisin B(1), beauvericin and ochratoxin A on cell viability, lipid peroxidation (TBARS) and intracellular glutathione (GSH) were studied on porcine kidney epithelial cells (PK15). Cells were treated with 0.05, 0.5 and 5 microg/ml of each mycotoxin or the combinations of two or all three applied in equal concentrations for 24 and 48 hr. Changes in cell viability, GSH and TBARS levels showed that the cytotoxic effects of these mycotoxins were concentration- and time-dependent. After 24 hr, cell viability was significantly decreased by the exposure to 5 microg/ml of fumonisin B(1) (25%), beauvericin (30%) and ochratoxin A (35%), as compared to controls. Only ochratoxin A (5 microg/ml) increased TBARS (56%), with further significant increase (85%) after 48 hr exposure. Fumonisin B(1) and beauvericin significantly increased TBARS (57% and 80%, respectively) only when the highest dose was applied for 48 hr. After 24 hr, GSH was significantly decreased (18%) by ochratoxin A (0.05 microg/ml), whereas fumonisin B(1) and beauvericin significantly decreased GSH at the concentration of 0.5 microg/ml. Combined treatment with fumonisin B(1), beauvericin and ochratoxin A resulted mostly in additive effects especially after a 24-hr exposure, although synergistic as well as antagonistic interactions could not be excluded depending on toxin concentrations and time of exposure. This is the first report on beauvericin-induced effects on lipid peroxidation and GSH in animal cells.