Oxidative stress induced by fumonisin B1 in continuous human and rodent neural cell cultures

Fumonisin B₁ (FB₁) is a mycotoxin produced by Fusarium verticillioides, which is a common infectant of corn and other cereal grains. Of concern to human health is also a possible airborne exposure to FB₁-producing strains of F. verticillioides, which may grow in moisture-damaged buildings. In this study, we have characterized oxidative stress-related parameters induced by FB₁ in three different neural cell lines, human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma, rat C6 glioblastoma and mouse GT1-7 hypothalamic cells. The cells were exposed to graded doses of FB₁ between 0.1 and 100 μM for 0-144 h after which the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), lipid peroxidation, intracellular glutathione (GSH) levels and cell viability were measured. FB₁ caused a dose-dependent increase of ROS production in C6 glioblastoma and GT1-7 hypothalamic cells but was without an effect in SH-SY5Y cells. Decreased GSH levels, increased MDA-formation, indicative of lipid peroxidation and necrotic cell death were observed in all cell lines after incubation with FB₁. These findings indicate that FB₁ induces oxidative stress in human, rat and mouse neural cell cultures.