A preliminary study on changes in heat shock protein 70 levels induced by Fusarium mycotoxins in rats: in vivo study

The heat shock protein (Hsp70) level was assessed after 14 days of oral gavage-exposure to fumonisin B(1) (FB(1): 150 µg/animal/day), deoxynivalenol (DON: 30 µg/animal/day) and zearalenone (ZEN: 150 µg/animal/day), alone or in combinations (in additive manner: FD = FB(1) + DON, FZ = FB(1) + ZEN, DZ = DON + ZEN and FDZ = FB(1) + DON + ZEN) in the liver, kidneys and lung of 24 adult male Wistar rats (n = 3/group). The liver was the most responsive tissue, as compared with kidney and lung. Except of DZ-treatment, mycotoxins elevated the Hsp70 levels in livers. The highest Hsp70-levels (≈ twofold) were in the DON, FD, FZ and FDZ treatments (additive effects). In the kidney, alterations (↑ ≈ twofold) were detected in ZEN, FD, FZ and DZ treatments. The least responsive organ was the lung (↑ only in FDZ, antagonistic effect). DON and ZEA exposures have altered the reduced glutathione concentration (↓) and glutathione peroxidase activity (↓) in the blood serum. The serum malondialdehyde level increased only after exposure to FD (synergistic effect), as compared with the DZ group (antagonistic effect). When the blood clinical chemistry was assessed, significant alterations were in alanine aminotransferase (80% increase in FDZ, antagonistic effect) and total protein (↓ ZEN). Results varied according to the organ, toxin type and interactions. Furthermore, oxidative stress was not the only key player behind the Hsp70 increase, in which another mechanism is suggested.