THE POTENT CYTOTOXIC AND GENOTOXIC EFFECTS OF THE MYCOTOXIN OF FUSARIC ACID IN VITRO

THE POTENT CYTOTOXIC AND GENOTOXIC EFFECTS OF THE MYCOTOXIN OF FUSARIC ACID IN VITRO

Fusaric acid (FA), a naturally occurring contaminants of food and feeds, is a mycotoxin produced by Fusarium sp. as secondary metabolite. This study evaluated the cytotoxic effects of FA in HeLA (human cervix carcinoma) cell line by using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2,5 diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The potential genotoxic effects of FA were investigated in human lymphocytes by micronucleus (MN) test. Cells were treated with FA at the following concentrations; 0.78, 1.56, 3.125, 6.25, 12.5, 25, 50, 100, 200 and 400 μg/mL. A solvent [DMSO 0.5% (v/v) of the culture medium] and a negative control was also maintained. Mitomycin-C (MMC) was used as the positive control in human lymphocytes. FA significantly decreased cell viability (%) in a dose dependent manner at 200 and 400 μg/ml concentrations at 24 h and 48 h compared to control and solvent control. The half of inhibitory concentration (IC50) in exposed HeLA cells was found at 200 μg/mL (0.791±0.148) for 24h and, 400 μg/mL (0.584±0.026) for 48h. However, there was no significant difference in the frequency of MN and nuclear division index (NDI) at 0.78-12.5 μg/mL concentrations in human lymphocytes. FA showed toxic effect at the five highest concentrations (25, 50, 100, 200, 400 μg/mL) in human lymphocytes. The present results indicate that FA has cytotoxic effect especially at higher concentrations. However, it has no genotoxic effects on human lymphocytes at 0.78-12.5 μg/mL concentrations. 

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  • Department of Biology, Polatlı Art and Science Faculty, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey
  • Genetic Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Science Faculty, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey
  • Faculty of Health Sciences, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
  • Departments of Medical Biology and Genetics, Medical Faculty, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey