T-2 Toxin and Zearalenone Influence on the Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines Content in Liver Cells Primary Cultures

Mycotoxins are dangerous metabolites of fungi that are found in feed and food products. Combinations of several Fusarium mycotoxins, including T-2 toxin and zearalenone, are often found in contaminated cereal crops. The liver plays a crucial role in detoxification processes and is one of the main targets of mycotoxins. The purpose of research is to study the effect of T-2 toxin and zearalenone on the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) in primary cultures of chicken liver cells. The production of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-8 was studied using ELISA kits produced by Vector. It was found that the concentration of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6 was increased as a result of exposure to T-2 mycotoxin at both 100.0 nmol/dm3 and 1000.0 nmol/dm3 in hepatocyte culture, after 12 hours of incubation as a result of rapid toxic shock, but not at a toxin concentration of 10.0 nmol/dm3. When exposed to T-2 toxin for 24 hours, an adaptive response occurred and no significant differences were found. Significant differences in the concentration of IL-8 were found after 24 hours of incubation, compared to the control. When similar concentrations of zearalenone were added, no significant changes in the concentrations of the cytokines IL-6 and IL-8 were observed, except in the case of the maximum concentration of the toxin. When toxins were introduced together, the dynamics of IL-6 content was similar to that of T-2 toxin, but no potentiating effect was recorded. The content of IL-8 changed more than with the addition of monomycotoxin.