15 research outputs found
Apoptotic activity induced by the mycotoxins ochratoxin A and zearalenone in bovine lymphocytes
Ochratoxin A (OTA) and zearalenone (ZEA) are fungal metabolites which contaminate animal and human food. They have been found in cow’s meat and milk and several reports indicated that OTA was immunosuppressive, carcinogenic and teratogenic in animals (Hussein and Brasel, 2001; Creppy, 2002). On the other hand, ZEA and its metabolites have estrogenic and anabolic activities, being able to cause alterations in the reproductive tract of laboratory animals (Creppy, 2002) and dairy cattle, and having negative effects on meiotic progression of bovine oocytes (Minervini et al, 2001). The mechanisms by which OTA and ZEA damage the cells are not completely understood; recent results evidenced that OTA induces apoptosis in MDCK-C7 cells.........