Investigation of the metabolic activity of a bovine mammary epithelial cell line (BME-UV1).

The metabolic activity of a mammary epithelial cell line (BME-UV1) was evaluated on monolayers exposed, in serum free medium, to different concentrations (2-4-8 muM) of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), a mycotoxin eliminated into milk especially as hydroxylated metabolite aflatoxin M1 (AFM1). After 4, 8, 12, 24 h of treatment, a dose and time dependent production of AFM1 has been detected. As the enzymes involved in the hydroxylation of AFB1 in bovine hepatocytes are mainly CYP1A and CYP3A, the results suggest that BME-UV1 express CYP450 isoenzymes which metabolize AFB1 thus representing a potential model for the investigation of the metabolic activity of bovine mammary epithelial tissue.