Cytotoxicity induced by ochratoxin A, zearalenone, and ot-zearalenol: Effects of individual and combined treatment

摘要

This study investigated the cytotoxicity of combined mycotoxins of ochratoxin A (OTA), zearalenone (ZEA), and/or a-zearalenol (oc-ZOL). The cytotoxicity of two mycotoxin combinations (two two-toxin combinations and one three-toxin combination) on human Hep G2 cells was evaluated using a tetrazo-lium salt (MTT) assay and isobologram analysis. Our results demonstrated significant cytotoxic effects of the two-toxin combination and the three-toxin combination on Hep G2 cells in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. The combination indexes (CI) were 2.73-7.67 for the OTA + ZEA combination and 1.23-17.82 for the OTA + a-ZOL combination after 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h of exposure at all inhibit concentration (IC) levels (ICio-IC9O), indicating an antagonism. The CIs of the ZEA + a-ZOL combination were 1.29-2.55 after 24 h and 72 h of exposure (IClo-IC9o), indicating an antagonism. The CIs of the ZEA + a-ZOL combination were 0.74-1.68 after 48 h of exposure, indicating synergism (IC8o-IC9o), additive effects (IC50-IC70), or antagonism (IC10-IC40). For the OTA + ZEA + a-ZOL combination, the CIs were 1.41-14.65 after 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h of exposure (IC10-IC90), indicating an antagonism.