Comparison of the molecular effects of the mycotoxins beta-zearalenol and deoxynivalenol in porcine endometrial cells--a review

The mycotoxins beta-zearalenol (beta-ZOL) and deoxynivalenol (DON) produce toxic effects that result in diseases in humans and animals. The molecular mechanisms that control the mycotoxin-mediated effects are far from being completely understood. Various results show that these mycotoxins could inhibit cell proliferation. In the present short communication, the influence of beta-ZOL and DON on the abundance and phosphorylation state of kinases that are included in regulation of the initiation of mRNA translation (which is correlated with cell proliferation) was compared in porcine endometrial cells (PEC). Our results indicate that these mycotoxins modulate the expression and phosphorylation of these factors in a different manner. Whereas beta-ZOL mainly had an impact on the biological activity of the extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2), protein kinase B (Akt), eukaryotic initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) and its repressor 4E binding protein 1 (4E-BP1), DON reduced the abundance of p38 MAPk, Akt and specific 4E-BP1 bands. In summary, these results indicate that beta-ZOL influences molecular events that are included in the initiation of mRNA translation in the porcine endometrium but DON does not alter such processes clearly.