| publication name | DNA methylation and RASSF4 expression are involved in T-2 toxin-induced hepatotoxicity |
|---|---|
| Authors | Aimei Liua, Xiaoqing Xua, Ren Houb, Sara Badawya, Yanfei Taob, Dongmei Chenb, Awais Ihsanc,Xu Wanga,b ,⁎⁎, Qinghua Wud,e ,⁎, Zonghui Yuan |
| year | 2019 |
| keywords | T-2 toxin,RASSF4, DNA methylation,Hepatotoxicity |
| journal | Toxicology |
| volume | 425 |
| issue | Not Available |
| pages | 152246 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| Local/International | International |
| Paper Link | Not Available |
| Full paper | download |
| Supplementary materials | Not Available |
Abstract
T-2 toxin is a secondary metabolite produced by Fusarium species and commonly contaminates food and animal feed. T-2 toxin can induce hepatotoxicity through apoptosis and oxidative stress; however, the underlying mechanism is not clear. Recent studies indicated that RASSF4, a member of the RASSF family, participates in cell apoptosis and some cancers due to its inactivation via DNA hypermethylation. However, its role in T-2 toxin-induced liver toxicity is poorly understood. Therefore, in this study, female Wistar rats were given a single dose of T-2 toxin at 2 mg/kg b.w. and were sacrificed at 1, 3 and 7 days post-exposure. A normal rat liver cell line (BRL) was exposed to different concentrations of T-2 toxin (10, 20, 40 nM) for 4, 8, 12 h, respectively. Histopathological analysis revealed with apoptosis in some liver cells and clear proliferation under T-2 toxin exposure. Expression analysis by immunohistochemical assays, quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and western blot demonstrated that T-2 toxin activated PI3K-Akt/Caspase/NF-κB signaling pathways. Additionally, DNA methylation assays revealed that the expression of RASSF4 was silenced by promoter hypermethylation after exposure to T-2 toxin for 1 and 3 days as compared to the control group. Moreover, joint treatment of 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine (DAC) (5 μM) and T-2 toxin (40 nM) increased expression of RASSF4 and PI3K-Akt/caspase/NF-κB signaling pathways-related genes, inducing cell apoptosis. These findings for the first time demonstrated that DNA methylation regulated the RASSF4 expression under T-2 toxin, along with the activation of its downstream pathways, resulting in apoptosis.