Cell Type-Specific Effects of Fusarium Mycotoxins on Primary Neurons and Astroglial Cells

Fumonisin B1, deoxynivalenol (DON), and zearalenone (ZEA) are toxic secondary metabolites produced by Fusarium molds. These mycotoxins are common food and feed pollutants and represent a risk to human and animal health. Although the mycotoxins produced by this genus can cross the blood–brain barrier in many species, their effect on neuronal function remains unclear. We investigated the cell viability effects of these toxins on specified neural cell types, including mouse primary neuronal, astroglial, and mixed-cell cultures 24 or 48 h after mycotoxin administration. DON decreased cell viability in a dose-dependent manner, independent of the culture type. Fumonisin B1 was toxic in pure neuronal cultures only at high doses, but toxicity was attenuated in mixed and pure astroglial cultures. ZEA had significant effects on all culture types in 10 nM by increasing cell viability and network activity, as revealed by multi-electrode array measurements. Since ZEA is a mycoestrogen, we analyzed the effects of ZEA on the expression of estrogen receptor isotypes ERα and ERβ and the mitochondrial voltage-dependent anion channel via qRT-PCR. In neuronal and mixed cultures, ZEA administration decreased ERα expression, while in astroglial cultures, it induced the opposite effect. Thus, our results emphasize that Fusarium mycotoxins act in a cell-specific manner.