Abstract
To study the direct effect of mycotoxins belonging to different chemical classes on testicular function, dispersed interstitial cells from testes of adult gerbils were short-term cultured either in the absence or presence of mycotoxins, and testosterone secretion was measured. When interstitial cells were incubated with T-2 toxin (0.0076–38.3 nM) there was a dose-dependent decrease of testosterone production (r=−0.72, ID50=0.042 nM). Since neither progesteronenor DHEA-stimulated testosterone production was affected by T-2 toxin, the observed inhibition of basal secretion was apparently due to a decrease of pregnenolone production and/or conversion of pregnenolone to progesterone. Much higher concentrations of zearalenone or of ochratoxin A were necessary to induce a similar inhibition of steroidogenesis (369 μM and 1838 μM, respectively) when compared to T-2 toxin. In contrast, citrinin or cyclopiazonic acid affected testosterone secretion only slightly, values reaching significant levels at doses of 1.74 nM (citrinin) and 149 nM (cyclopiazonic acid). In the presence of kojic acid (2.63–2633 nM) a significant, though not dose-dependent inhibition of testosterone secretion was observed. From these experiments it is concluded that mycotoxins of distinct chemical structure act directly on testicular tissue, presumably by inhibiting early steps of the steroidogenic pathway.
References
Bendele AM, Carlton WW, Krogh P, Lillehoj EB (1985) Ochratoxin A carcinogenesis in the (C57 BL/65×C3H)F1 mouse. J Nat Canc Inst 75: 733–742
Borenfreund E, Babich H, Martin-Alguacil N (1988) Comparison of two in vitro cytotoxicity assays — the neutral red (NR) and tetrazolium MTT test. Toxicol in vitro 2: 1–6
Bullerman LB (1986) Mycotoxins and food safety. Food Technol 40: 59–66
Bunge I, Dirheimer G, Röschenthaler R (1978) In vivo and in vitro inhibition of protein synthesis in Bac. stearothermophilus by ochratoxin A. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 83: 398–405
Cole RJ, Cox RH (1981) Handbook of toxic fungal metabolites. Academic Press, New York
Creppy EE, Lugnier AAJ, Beck G, Röschenthaler R, Dirheimer J (1979) Action of ochratoxin A on cultured hepatoma cells — reversion of inhibition by phenylalanine. FEBS Lett 104: 287–290
Creppy EE, Lorskowski G, Beck G, Röschenthaler R, Dirheimer G (1980) Combined action of citrinin and OTA on hepatoma tissue culture cells. Toxicol Lett 5: 375–380
DeNicola DB, Rebar AH, Carlton WW (1978) T-2 toxin mycotoxicosis in the guinea pig. Food Cosmet Toxicol 16: 601–609
Fenske M and Probst B (1982) Simultaneous release of androgens and progesterone by gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) dispersed testicular interstitial cells under basal conditions and after stimulation with luteinizing hormone. Endokrinologie 79: 190–196
Franck B (1984) Mycotoxine aus Schimmelpilzen. Angew Chemie 96: 462–474
Gupka M, Bandyopadyay S, Paul B, Mazumdlar SK (1981) Ovarian steroidogenesis and development of fetuses following ochratoxin A treatment in pregnant rats. Endokrinologie 77: 152–160
Hayes AW (1980) Mycotoxins: a review of biological effects and their role in human disease. Clin Toxicol 17: 45–83
Imaida K, Hirose M, Ogiso T, Kuruta Y and Ito N (1982) Quantitative analysis of initiating and promoting activities of five mycotoxins in liver carcinogenesis in rats. Cancer Lett 16: 137–143
Kanisawa M (1984) Synergistic effect of citrinin in hepatorenal carcinogenesis of ochratoxin A in mice. In: Kurata H, Ueno Y (eds) Developments in food science 7: 245–253
Kawabata Y, Tashiro F, Ueno Y (1982) Synthesis of specific proteins induced by zearalenone and its derivates in rat uterus. J Biochem 91: 801–808
Kiang DT, Kennedy BJ, Pathre SV, Mirocha CJ (1978) Binding characteristics of zearalenone analogs to estrogenic receptors. Cancer Res 38: 3611–3615
Kuiper-Goodman T, Scott PM, Watanabe H (1987) Risk assessment of the mycotoxin zearalenon. Reg Toxicol Pharmacol 7: 253–306
Lafont J, Romand A, Lafont P (1983) Effects de mycotoxines sur des phenomenes genetiques bacteriens. Microbiol Alim Nutr 1: 251–258
McLaughlin CS, Vaughan MH, Campbell IM, Wei CM, Stafford MW, Hansen BS (1977) Inhibition of protein synthesis by trichothecenes. In: Rodricks JV, Hesseltine CM, Mehlmann MA (eds) Mycotoxins in human and animal health. Pathotox Publishers, Park Forest South, Illinois, pp 263–273
Probst B, Fenske M (1982) Production of androgens by gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) dispersed testicular interstitial cells. Comp Biochem Physiol 71A: 113–117
Sato N, Ueno Y (1977) Comparative toxicities of trichothecenes. In: Rodericks JV, Hesseltine CW, Mehlmann MA (eds) Mycotoxins in human and animal health. Pathotox Publishers, Park Forest South, Illinois
Stoltz DR (1983) Carcinogenesic and mutagenic mycotoxins. In: Stich HF (ed) Carcinogenes and mutagenes in the environment. CRC, Boca Raton, pp 3–129
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Fenske, M., Fink-Gremmels, J. Effects of fungal metabolites on testosterone secretion in vitro. Arch Toxicol 64, 72–75 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01973380
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01973380