The effects of mycotoxin patulin on cells and cellular components

Several fungal taxa, including Aspergillus, Byssochlamys, and Penicillium species produce the mycotoxin patulin in contaminated food materials. Patulin is an unsaturated heterocyclic lactone that strongly reacts with thiol groups of macromolecules and causes serious health problems in humans and animals. Due to the high toxicity of patulin, many toxicological regulatory organizations around the world have set a maximum limit for patulin levels in foods. Thus, several research groups are involved in diverse studies on patulin, including the development of new technologies for its detection and effective neutralization and elucidation of its toxicological effects. Investigators are currently primarily focusing on the key role of patulin toxicity at the molecular level in various cell lines and animal models. The current review article discusses the effects of patulin on cells, organelles, tissues, organs, and the molecular regulation of macromolecules like proteins and nucleic acids. Patulin primarily damages vital organs such as kidneys, liver, gastrointestinal tract, organs of the immune system, and endocrine glands. It also induces overproduction of intracellular reactive oxygen species, which perform a key function in mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum stress. Patulin induces DNA damage that leads to cell cycle arrest, consequently inhibiting the activity of cell survival proteins and promoting cell death by apoptosis. Patulin significantly affects the expression of several key proteins involved in cell junctions, membrane potential, protein synthesis, cell signaling, and gene expression.