Exploratory real-time kinetic analysis of the cytotoxicity induced by maize silage mycotoxins in a calf intestinal epithelial cell line

In a temperate climate, the mycotoxins deoxynivalenol (DON), nivalenol (NIV), enniatin B (ENN B), mycophenolic acid (MPA), roquefortine C (ROC) and zearalenone (ZEN) are often found in maize silage. Although rumen microbiota are able to degrade some mycotoxins (e.g. DON), others are known to stay mainly intact (e.g. ROC). In addition, mycotoxin degradation can be hampered by a low ruminal pH or decrease in rumen microbial activity. Hence, these mycotoxins can reach the small intestine and exert a cytotoxic effect on intestinal epithelial cells. In this study, a real-time kinetic analysis of the cytotoxicity of these six mycotoxins and some of their metabolites (α- and β-zearalenol, α- and β-ZOL) was performed in a calf small intestinal epithelial cell line (CIEB). Confluency as well as the cell death parameters apoptosis and necrosis were determined to evaluate the mycotoxin-induced cytotoxicity. A combination of Annexin-V green and Cytotox red staining was used to determine early and late apoptosis as well as necrosis. Six different concentrations were tested ranging from 0.78 to 12.5 μM. Compared to cells not exposed to mycotoxins, DON and NIV exert a fast toxic effect with DON being more toxic than NIV within the first hours of incubation, whereas the inverse was observed at 16 h of incubation. On the other hand, MPA and ZEN induced increased Annexin V green positive cells within several hours of incubation with higher toxicity over time. Increased Annexin V green and Cytotox red positive cells were seen for ROC only at the highest concentration tested. For ENN B, increased Annexin V green positive cells were observed only after 12 h and α- and β-ZOL did not show cytotoxic effects. Hence, mycotoxin exposure causes either severe (DON and NIV) or more limited (ZEN, ROC, MPA, and ENN B) risk of bovine intestinal epithelial damage.