Abstract:
Zearalenone (ZEA), a non-steroidal estrogenic mycotoxin that is widely present in moldy grains, has estrogen-like activity and can cause reproductive dysfunction. However, there have been few studies on the nephrotoxicity of ZEA. Resveratrol (RSV) is a polyphenolic compound present in red wine and grapes that possesses antioxidant activity. Human embryonic kidney (HEK 293) cells were treated with different concentrations of ZEA (3, 15, 75, 150, and 300 ?M), RSV (0, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10, and 100 ?M), and DL-?-lipoic acid (LA) (0, 1, 10, 100, and 1000 ?M) for 24 h. Cell viability measurements showed that the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of ZEA against HEK293 cells was 80 ?M, while RSV and LA treatment did result in significant damage to the cells. Cells were pretreated with RSV and LA for 24 h, followed by ZEA treatment for 24 h. The cell proliferative ability and levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and manganese form of SOD (MnSOD) were measured, and the results indicated that RSV/LA could enhance the cellular antioxidant activity and reduce the cytotoxicity and oxidative damage caused by ZEA. Additionally, ZEA treatment increased expression of the pro-apoptotic gene Bax, but had no impact on the expression of SIRT1 or the anti-apoptotic gene Bcl-2. In contrast, RSV pretreatment significantly increased the expression of both Bcl-2 and SIRT1, reduced the expression of Bax, and had an anti-apoptotic effect.
