Inhibition of Mitochondrial Fission Alleviates Zearalenone-Induced Mitochondria-Associated Endoplasmic Reticulum Membrane Dysfunction in Piglet Sertoli Cells

This study aimed to investigate the effects of zearalenone (ZEA) on piglet Sertoli cell (SC)-mitochondria-associated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membranes (MAMs) based on mitochondrial fission, and to explore the molecular mechanism of ZEA-induced cell damage. After the SCs were exposed to the ZEA, the cell viability decreased, the Ca(2+) levels increased, and the MAM showed structural damage. Moreover, glucose-regulated protein 75 (Grp75) and mitochondrial Rho-GTPase 1 (Miro1) were upregulated at the mRNA and protein levels. However, phosphofurin acidic cluster protein 2 (PACS2), mitofusin2 (Mfn2), voltage-dependent anion channel 1 (VDAC1), and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP3R) were downregulated at the mRNA and protein levels. A pretreatment with mitochondrial division inhibitor 1 (Mdivi-1) decreased the ZEA-induced cytotoxicity toward the SCs. In the ZEA + Mdivi-1 group, the cell viability increased, the Ca(2+) levels decreased, the MAM damage was repaired, and the expression levels of Grp75 and Miro1 decreased, while those of PACS2, Mfn2, VDAC1, and IP3R increased compared with those in the ZEA-only group. Thus, ZEA causes MAM dysfunction in piglet SCs through mitochondrial fission, and mitochondria can regulate the ER via MAM.