Overview of T-2 Toxin Enterotoxicity: From Toxic Mechanisms and Detoxification to Future Perspectives.

Fusarium species produce a secondary metabolite known as T-2 toxin, which is the primary and most harmful toxin found in type A trichothecenes. T-2 toxin is widely found in food and grain-based animal feed and endangers the health of both humans and animals. T-2 toxin exposure in humans and animals occurs primarily through food administration; therefore, the first organ that T-2 toxin targets is the gut. In this overview, the research progress, toxicity mechanism, and detoxification of the toxin T-2 were reviewed, and future research directions were proposed. T-2 toxin damages the intestinal mucosa and destroys intestinal structure and intestinal barrier function; furthermore, T-2 toxin disrupts the intestinal microbiota, causes intestinal flora disorders, affects normal intestinal metabolic function, and kills intestinal epidermal cells by inducing oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, and apoptosis. The primary harmful mechanism of T-2 toxin in the intestine is oxidative stress. Currently, selenium and plant extracts are mainly used to exert antioxidant effects to alleviate the enterotoxicity of T-2 toxin. In future studies, the use of genomic techniques to find upstream signaling molecules associated with T-2 enterotoxin toxicity will provide new ideas for the prevention of this toxicity. The purpose of this paper is to review the progress of research on the intestinal toxicity of T-2 toxin and propose new research directions for the prevention and treatment of T-2 toxin toxicity.

Protective mechanisms of three antioxidants against T-2 toxin-induced muscle protein deterioration in shrimp.

BACKGROUND: Quercetin (Q), tea polyphenols (TP), and rutin (R) are widely used plant-derived active ingredients. They possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumor properties, and can reduce the muscle damage caused by mycotoxins. However, few studies have examined the protective mechanisms of quercetin, tea polyphenols, and rutin on muscle quality. To elucidate their protective mechanisms, shrimp were exposed to both T-2 toxin and these three antioxidants for 20 days in a dose-escalating trial. The changes in the protein composition of shrimp muscle were measured. The target proteins associated with T-2 and antioxidants were screened and identified by non-labeled quantitative proteomics. RESULTS: The T-2 toxin induced abnormal expression of 21 target proteins, leading to the deterioration of muscle proteins in shrimp. The three antioxidants ameliorated the T-2 toxin-induced damage to muscle proteins by increasing the sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar protein content and decreasing the alkali-soluble protein content. Quercetin had the strongest protective effect. The protective processes of these antioxidants involved the upregulation of target proteins involved in carbohydrate metabolism (enolase, malate dehydrogenase), protein translation (elongation factor 1-alpha and eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 subunit alpha), and cytoskeleton component (actin 2, fast-type skeletal muscle actin 1). Quercetin regulated the largest number of target proteins, making it the best protective agent against T-2 toxin. CONCLUSION: The T-2 toxin (4.80-24.30 mg/kg feed) induced changes in target proteins and muscle composition of shrimp, leading to a deterioration in muscle proteins. Quercetin (2.00-32.00 g/kg feed) had significant protective effects against this deterioration in muscle protein in shrimp. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Mechanism of DNA methylation-mediated downregulation of O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase in cartilage injury of Kashin-Beck disease.

OBJECTIVE: Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) is an endemic osteoarthropathy, in which excessive apoptosis of chondrocytes occurs. O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT), a DNA damage repair gene, plays an important role in apoptosis, but the mechanism is unclear in KBD cartilage injury. This study was to investigate the expression and promoter methylation of MGMT in KBD patients and its role in DNA damage and apoptosis of chondrocytes. METHODS: MGMT mRNA and protein level were detected by quantitative real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry. Demethylation of MGMT was carried out using 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine, and the methylation level of MGMT promoter was measured by quantitative methylation specific PCR. Next, small hairpin RNA was used to knockdown the expression of MGMT. Cell viability, apoptosis and DNA damage were determined by MTT assay, flow cytometry, Hoechst 33342 staining and alkaline comet assay following T-2 toxin and selenium treatment. RESULTS: MGMT protein expression and mRNA levels were decreased (P = 0.02, P = 0.007) and promoter methylation was increased (P = 0.008) in KBD patients. Meanwhile, MGMT level was upregulated by 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine in chondrocytes (P = 0.0002). DNA damage and apoptosis rates were increased in MGMT-silenced chondrocytes (all P < 0.0001). Furthermore, DNA damage and apoptosis were increased in chondrocytes treated with T-2 toxin (all P < 0.0001), but were decreased after selenium treatment (P < 0.0001, P = 0.01). Decreased mRNA level and increased methylation of MGMT were found in the T-2 toxin group (P = 0.005, P = 0.002), while selenium reversed it (P = 0.02, P = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: MGMT might play a crucial part in the pathogenesis of KBD cartilage injury, which could provide a therapeutic target for KBD.

Zearalenone and Metabolites in Livers of Turkey Poults and Broiler Chickens Fed with Diets Containing Fusariotoxins.

Zearalenone (ZEN) and metabolites were measured in livers of turkeys and broilers fed a control diet free of mycotoxins, a diet that contained 0.5 mg/kg ZEN (ZEN diet), and a diet that contained 0.5, 5, and 20 mg/kg of ZEN, fumonisins, and deoxynivalenol, respectively (ZENDONFB diet). The feed was individually distributed to male Grade Maker turkeys from the 55th to the 70th day of age and to male Ross chickens from the 1st to the 35th day of age, without any signs of toxicity. Together, the free and conjugated forms of ZEN, α- and ß-zearalenols (ZOLs), zearalanone (ZAN), and α- and ß-zearalanols (ZALs) were measured by UHPLC-MS/MS with [13C18]-ZEN as an internal standard and immunoaffinity clean-up of samples. ZAN and ZALs were not detected. ZEN and ZOLs were mainly found in their conjugated forms. α-ZOL was the most abundant and was found at a mean concentration of 2.23 and 1.56 ng/g in turkeys and chickens, respectively. Consuming the ZENDONFB diet significantly increased the level of total metabolites in the livers of chickens. Furthermore, this increase was more pronounced for the free forms of α-ZOL than for the conjugated forms. An investigation of the presence of ZEN and metabolites in muscle with the methods validated for the liver failed to reveal any traces of these contaminants in this tissue. These results suggest that concomitant dietary exposure to deoxynivalenol (DON) and fumonisins (FB) may alter the metabolism and persistence of ZEN and its metabolites in the liver.

Effects of dietary T-2 toxin on gut health and gut microbiota composition of the juvenile Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis).

The current study aims to investigate the effects of dietary T-2 toxin on the intestinal health and microflora in the juvenile Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) with an initial weight 2.00 ± 0.05 g. Juvenile crabs were fed with experimental diets supplemented with T-2 toxin at 0 (control), 0.6 (T1 group), 2.5 (T2 group) and 5.0 (T3 group) mg/kg diet for 8 weeks. Dietary T-2 toxin increased the malondialdehyde (MDA) content and the expression of Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (keap1) gene while the expression of cap 'n' collar isoform C (CncC) decreased in the intestine. The activities of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and total anti-oxidation capacity (T-AOC) in the intestine increased only in the lower dose of dietary T-2. Dietary T-2 toxin significantly increased the mRNA expression of caspase-3, caspase-8, Bax and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) genes and the ratio of Bax to Bcl-2 accompanied with a reduction of Bcl-2 expression. Furthermore, T-2 toxin decreased the mRNA levels of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), peritrophic membrane (PM1 and PM2) and immune regulated nuclear transcription factors (Toll-like receptor: TLR, myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88: Myd88, relish and lipopolysaccharide-induced TNF-α factor: LITAF). The richness and diversity of the gut microbiota were also affected by dietary T-2 toxin in T3 group. The similar dominant phyla in the intestine of the Chinese mitten crab in the control and T3 groups were found including Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Tenericutes and Proteobacteria. Moreover, the inclusion of dietary T-2 toxin of 4.6 mg/kg significantly decreased the richness of Bacteroidetes and increased the richness of Firmicutes, Tenericutes and Proteobacteria in the intestine. At the genus level, Dysgonomonas and Romboutsia were more abundant in T3 group than those in the control. However, the abundances of Candidatus Bacilloplasma, Chryseobacterium and Streptococcus in T3 group were lower than those in the control. This study indicates that T-2 toxin could cause oxidative damage and immunosuppression, increase apoptosis and disturb composition of microbiota in the intestine of Chinese mitten crab.

Mechanism of Ca2+-mediated NOX modulated in ROS metabolism induced by T-2 toxin in potato tuber.

T-2 toxin at low concentrations can induce ROS accumulation and modulate host resistance in plants. NOX plays crucial roles in ROS production and is regulated by Ca2+via direct binding to EF-hand motifs. In this study, the effect of EGTA (Ca2+ chelating agent) on the expression and enzymatic activity of NOX, as well as the activities and corresponding gene expressions involved in ROS metabolism and cell membrane integrity, were investigated in treated slices. Results indicated that EGTA treatment significantly affected gene expression and activity of NOX, and reduced ROS accumulation and cell membrane integrity and the enzymatic activities and gene expression involved in ROS metabolism when exposed to treatment. The addition of exogenous Ca2+ restored the initial relative transcript abundance, ROS accumulation and their activities. Results suggest that Ca2+ affected by EGTA plays a crucial role in NOX activity regulation, ultimately affecting ROS metabolism in slices induced by T-2 toxin.

Activated FXR promotes xenobiotic metabolism of T-2 toxin and attenuates oxidative stress in broiler chicken liver.

The transmission of T-2 toxin and its metabolites into the edible tissues of poultry has potential effects on human health. The bile acid and xenobiotic system composes an intricate physiological network of chemoprotective and transporter-related functions, which ensures the detoxification and removal of harmful xenobiotic and endobiotic compounds from the body. This study revealed that cholic acid (CA), as one of the bile acids, promoted the metabolism of T-2 toxin in vivo by inducing the xenobiotic metabolism enzymes expression, thereby increasing the stress resistance and attenuating the oxidative stress. This study also indicated that dietary supplementation of 1% CA alleviated the mortality caused by T-2 toxin. Liver histology results demonstrated that CA supplementation significantly reduced inflammatory cell infiltration, sinusoidal expansion and congestion. Biochemistry results showed that the elevations of plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities and the increase in concentration of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in liver induced by the T-2 toxin were decreased by dietary supplementation of 1% CA. Additionally, CA supplementation led to the increase in superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, but the decrease in catalase (CAT) activity in broiler chicken livers. Based on these findings, we propose that activation of FXR promotes T-2 toxin xenobiotic metabolism, and FXR plays a hepatoprotection role in liver injury induced by T-2 toxin.

Selenium promotes metabolic conversion of T-2 toxin to HT-2 toxin in cultured human chondrocytes.

To explore the metabolism of T-2 toxin in human chondrocytes (HCs) and determine the impact of selenium supplementation. For determination of cytotoxicity using the MTT assay, optical density values were read with an automatic enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay reader at 510nm. Cell survival was calculated and the cytotoxicity estimated. To identify the metabolites of T-2 toxin, the medium supernatants and C28/I2 cells were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) separately. For HPLC-MS/MS, the mobile phase A was water and phase B was 98% methanol. The gradient for the elution was: 0-0.5min, 50% of B; 0.5-2.0min, 100% of B; 2.0-3.5min, 100% of B; 3.6-6min, 50% of B. T-2 toxin increased the toxicity to C28/I2 cells significantly in a dose- and time-dependent manner (viability range 91.5-22.0%). Supplementation with selenium (100ng/mL) could increase the cell viability after the 24h incubation. The concentration of T-2 toxin in the cell medium decreased from 20 to 6.67±1.02ng/mL, and the concentration of HT-2 toxin increased from 0 to 6.88±1.23ng/mL during the 48h incubation, whereas the relative concentration of T-2 toxin in cells increased from 0 to 12.80±1.84ng/g. Supplementary selenium in the HCs cultures reduced the cytotoxicity induced by T-2 toxin significantly, and was associated with rapid conversion of T-2 toxin in the culture medium to HT-2 toxin. T-2 toxin was more toxic to HCs than HT-2 toxin at equivalent concentrations. HT-2 toxin was a detectable metabolite of T-2 toxin in cultured HCs, and selenium enhanced the metabolic conversion of T-2 toxin, reducing its cytotoxicity to HCs.

New method for the simultaneous analysis of types A and B trichothecenes by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry in potato tubers inoculated with Fusarium sulphureum.

A reliable and sensitive method for rapid simultaneous determination of two type A (T-2 and diacetoxyscirpenol) and two type B (3-acetyldeoxynivalenol and Fusarenon X) trichothecenes was developed and successfully applied for detecting trichothecenes in potato tubers by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. The established method was further evaluated by determining the linearity (R ≥ 0.9995), recovery (113.28-77.97%), precision (relative standard deviation ≤ 5.89), and sensitivity (limit of detection, 0.002-0.005 µg/g; limit of quantitation, 0.005-0.015 µg/g). The method proved to be suitable for simultaneous determination of T-2, diacetoxyscirpenol, 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol, and Fusarenon X in potato tubers inoculated with Fusarium sulphureum . In addition, it was found that T-2, diacetoxyscirpenol, 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol, and Fusarenon X could be predominantly detected in the lesion, and the toxin could also be identified in tubers without any disease symptoms. The experimental results also indicated that the concentration of toxin in the susceptible cultivar (Longshu No. 3) was significantly higher than that in the resistant cultivar (Longshu No. 6).

Effects of xanthotoxin treatment on trichothecene production in Fusarium sporotrichioides.

There are 4 P450 oxygenases involved in the biosynthesis of T-2 toxin in Fusarium sporotrichioides. Exactly how these enzymes react to antimicrobial plant defense compounds is unknown. Xanthotoxin (8-methoxypsoralen) is a phototoxic furanocoumarin that acts as a P450 oxygenase inhibitor. The current study shows that the addition of concentrations of 1.0 mmol/L or less of xanthotoxin to liquid cultures of F. sporotrichioides NRRL3299 can effectively block T-2 toxin production and cause an increase in accumulation of trichodiene, the hydrocarbon precursor of trichothecenes. The addition of xanthotoxin to liquid cultures of a trichodiene-accumulating F. sporotrichioides Tri4- mutant caused a 3- to 10-fold increase in trichodiene accumulation, suggesting that xanthotoxin not only blocks trichothecene oxygenation reactions, but may in some way also promote the synthesis of trichodiene. Feeding studies showed that 2 of the 4 P450 oxygenases, TRI4 and TRI1, were more sensitive to xanthotoxin, while oxygenases TRI11 and TRI13 were unaffected. Quantitative reverse-transcriptase PCR indicated that several of the genes in the toxin biosynthetic pathway were upregulated by xanthotoxin, with Tri4 showing the highest increase in expression. These results indicate that while xanthotoxin inhibits specific P450 oxygenase activity, it also has an effect on gene expression.

[Protective influence of bioactive food supplement "Rekicen RD" in alimentary T-2-mycotoxicosis in rats]. / Zashchitnoe deistvie BAD "Rekitsen-RD" pri alimentarnom T-2-mikotoksikoze y krys.

Inclusion of a biologically active food supplement (BAS) "Rekicen RD" in rat Wistar ration in percentage 5% result in reduction of toxic action of a trichothecene mycotoxin T-2 toxin. The changes of daily increase in body weight of animals, of relative internal weight, of serum enzyme activity, of not sedimentated activity of lysosomal enzymes and of activity of enzymes of a xenobiotic metabolism in a liver were expressed in a lesser degree. It is possible that a protective action of BAS is related with high adsorption capacity of wheat bran in BAS composition and with their possible influence on activity of enzymes participating in detoxification T-2 toxin (UDP-glucuronosyltransferase).

[Protective effect of selenium in acute T-2 mycotoxicosis]. / Zashchitnoe deistvie selena pri ostrom T-2-mikotoksikoze.

Male Wistar rats were fed diets supplemented with selenium (0.5 and 2.5 mg/kg) for 6 weeks. When T-2 toxin was administered at 3.8 mg/kg body weight; sings of intoxication were less distinct in rats fed selenium-supplemented diets. Mortality caused by T-2 toxin was two times lower if selenium content amounted to 2.5 mg/kg. The level of cytochrome P-450 and the rate of deethylation of 7-ethoxycoumarin were considerably decreased in the liver of rats that received T-2 toxin and fed a diet with high selenium content. At the same time the activity of epoxide hydrolase and UDP-glucuronosyltransferase was significantly higher (1.6 and 1.7 times more) as compared with unsupplemented group. The results obtained allow to assume that there is a relationship between the decrease of T-2 toxin toxicity and the change in its metabolism in rats fed selenium-supplemented diets.