Citrinin, one of the mycotoxin, inhibits angiogenesis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in vitro

Abstract

Citrinin (CTN), one of the mycotoxin, occurs mainly in stored grains and animal feeds, exerts cytotoxic and genotoxic effects on various mammalian cells. Several studies have demonstrated that CTN has broad toxicity spectra, including apoptosis and inflammation, but the mechanism of anti-angiogenic effects of CTN is not revealed. In this study, human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were used to investigate the anti-angiogenic effects of CTN. CTN inhibited the formation of tube-like structures in dose-dependent manner, but did not affect the cell viability at a concentration of CTN that inhibited the formation of tube-like structures. CTN also inhibited both cell migration and cell invasion. The important activities involved in angiogenesis and triggered loss of secretion of Matrix metalloproteinase -2 and -9. Western blot assays showed that CTN decreased expression of proteins lead to the formation of lamellipodia such as Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2(VEGFR-2), Rac1 and WAVE2.