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Kowalska K, Habrowska-Górczyńska DE, Piastowska-Ciesielska AW. Zearalenone as an endocrine disruptor in humans. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 2016; 48:141-149. [PMID: 27771507 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2016.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 161] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2016] [Revised: 10/10/2016] [Accepted: 10/16/2016] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Zearalenone (ZEA), a fungal mycotoxin, is present in a wide range of human foods. Many animal studies have found ZEA to possess a disruptive effect on the hormonal balance, mainly due to its similarity to naturally-occurring estrogens. With increasing consciousness of the adverse effects of endocrine disruptors on human health, it is becoming more important to monitor ZEA concentrations in food and identify its potential effects on human health. Based on a review of recent studies on animal models and molecular pathways in which ZEA is reported to have an influence on humans, we postulate that ZEA might act as an endocrine disruptor in humans in a similar way to animals. Moreover, its endocrine-disrupting effect might be also a causative factor in carcinogenesis. This review article summarizes the latest knowledge about the influence of ZEA on the human hormonal balance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Kowalska
- Department of Comparative Endocrinology, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences and Postgraduate Training, Medical University of Lodz, Zeligowskiego 7/9, Lodz 90-752, Poland
| | - Dominika Ewa Habrowska-Górczyńska
- Department of Comparative Endocrinology, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences and Postgraduate Training, Medical University of Lodz, Zeligowskiego 7/9, Lodz 90-752, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Wanda Piastowska-Ciesielska
- Department of Comparative Endocrinology, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences and Postgraduate Training, Medical University of Lodz, Zeligowskiego 7/9, Lodz 90-752, Poland.
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Hu SQ, Cui W, Mak SH, Choi CL, Hu YJ, Li G, Tsim KWK, Pang YP, Han YF. Robust Neuritogenesis-Promoting Activity by Bis(heptyl)-Cognitin Through the Activation of alpha7-Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor/ERK Pathway. CNS Neurosci Ther 2015; 21:520-9. [PMID: 25917415 DOI: 10.1111/cns.12401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2014] [Revised: 04/02/2015] [Accepted: 04/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS Neurodegenerative disorders are caused by progressive neuronal loss in the brain, and hence, compounds that could promote neuritogenesis may have therapeutic values. In this study, the effects of bis(heptyl)-cognitin (B7C), a multifunctional dimer, on neurite outgrowth were investigated in both PC12 cells and primary cortical neurons. METHODS Immunocytochemical staining was used to evaluate the proneuritogenesis effects, and Western blot and short hairpin RNA assays were applied to explore the underlying mechanisms. RESULTS B7C (0.1-0.5 μM) induced robust neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells, as evidenced by the neurite-bearing morphology and upregulation of growth-associated protein-43 expression. In addition, B7C markedly promoted neurite outgrowth in primary cortical neurons as shown by the increase in the length of β-III-tubulin-positive neurites. Furthermore, B7C rapidly increased ERK phosphorylation. Specific inhibitors of alpha7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7-nAChR) and MEK, but not those of p38 or JNK, blocked the neurite outgrowth as well as ERK phosphorylation induced by B7C. Most importantly, genetic depletion of α7-nAChR significantly abolished B7C-induced neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells. CONCLUSION B7C promoted neurite outgrowth through the activation of α7-nAChR/ERK pathway, which offers novel insight into the potential application of B7C in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheng-Quan Hu
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, Institute of Modern Chinese Medicine, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong, China.,Institute of New Drug Research, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic, Constituents of Traditional Chinese Medicine & New Drug Research, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangdong, China.,The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, China
| | - Wei Cui
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, Institute of Modern Chinese Medicine, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong, China.,The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, China
| | - Shing-Hung Mak
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, Institute of Modern Chinese Medicine, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong, China.,The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, China
| | - Chung-Lit Choi
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, Institute of Modern Chinese Medicine, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yuan-Jia Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Gang Li
- National Engineering Laboratory for Modern Silk, College of Textile and Clothing Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Karl Wah-Keung Tsim
- Division of Life Science and Center for Chinese Medicine, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yuan-Ping Pang
- Mayo Cancer Center, Department of Pharmacology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Yi-Fan Han
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, Institute of Modern Chinese Medicine, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong, China.,The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, China
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