Thymic apoptosis induced by T-2 toxin and its metabolites

摘要

T-2 toxin (T-2), a trichothecene mycotoxin produced principally by Fusarium species, has been detected in a gretat number of field crops such as maize, wheat, and oats. T-2 causes several outbreaks of mycotoxicosis in humans and animals after accidental ingestion via contaminated foods. Although studies in animal models demonstrated that T-2 exhibits profound immunosuppressive effects, little is presently known regarding possible specific effects of this mycotoxin on resident thymocytes occupying the thymus. Recently, apoposis has been proposed to be involved in the thymic atrophy induced by chemicals including glucocorticoid. At present, however, little is known about the mechanism by which trichothecenes including T-2 induec toxic effects through apoptosis and about which structural component(s) is responsible for the potent apoptotic effect of T-2. We show here that T-2, its mammalian metabolites, and some other trichothecentes induce apoposis in the mouse thymus in vivo.