Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
7.5
4.2
Journals
Toxins
Special Issues
Novel Approaches in Mycotoxins Research: Detection, Prevention and Mode of...
share announcement

Novel Approaches in Mycotoxins Research: Detection, Prevention and Mode of Action

A special issue of Toxins (ISSN 2072-6651). This special issue belongs to the section "Mycotoxins".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2025 | Viewed by 4543

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Daniela Jakšić

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Interests: toxins
Dr. Ana Juan-García

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Food Chemistry and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, E-46100 Valencia, Spain
Interests: toxicological effects of food contaminants, specifically mycotoxins; risk assessment of food contaminants with a focus on human’s health; factors that influence intestinal bioavailability and investigation of methods to decrease mycotoxins’ effects; new advanced techniques in elucidating mycotoxins’ toxicological effects implementing the 3R’s principle
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Mycotoxins are a chemically diverse group of fungal secondary metabolites that are toxic to humans when ingested, inhaled, or absorbed into the skin. They may be detected in various food and feed matrices, but also in environmental samples. Despite the long history of mycotoxins research, there is a gap of knowledge about human exposure to certain groups of mycotoxins. Most mycotoxins are thoroughly studied in vitro and in vivo, but the models that are used do not fully reflect their action in humans. To support the clinical relevance of mycotoxins, it is necessary to provide a supported association of mycotoxins to certain clinical pictures. Quintessential to this are the data on the presence of mycotoxins in human biological fluids and tissues, exposure assessment studies, and modes of actions in advanced animal-free systems, such as human cell lines, co-cultures, and organoids. Additionally, for well-known mycotoxins, efficient and adequate methods are urgently needed for their elimination from the food chain and indoor environments.

Thus, the aim of this Special Issue is to motivate researchers and gather information focused on the following topics:

  1. Human exposure to mycotoxins:
  • Detection of the mycotoxins in biological fluids and tissues;
  • Biomarkers for exposure to mycotoxins.
  1. Control and elimination of mycotoxins:
  • Inhibitors of fungal growth or mycotoxin producing abilities;
  • Physicochemical binders or adsorbents of mycotoxins;
  • Degradation of mycotoxins by plants, fungi, bacteria, and/or their products.
  1. Mechanisms of action of mycotoxins in advanced animal-free systems:
  • Human cell lines, co-cultures;
  • Organoids
  1. Review articles about these topics.

Dr. Daniela Jakšić
Dr. Ana Juan-García
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Toxins is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (4 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

18 pages, 1960 KiB  
Article
In Vitro Digestion and Intestinal Absorption of Mycotoxins Due to Exposure from Breakfast Cereals: Implications for Children’s Health
by Soraia V. M. de Sá, Miguel A. Faria, José O. Fernandes and Sara C. Cunha
Toxins 2024, 16(5), 205; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins16050205 - 25 Apr 2024
Viewed by 249
Abstract
Breakfast cereals play a crucial role in children’s diets, providing essential nutrients that are vital for their growth and development. Children are known to be more susceptible than adults to the harmful effects of food contaminants, with mycotoxins being a common concern in [...] Read more.
Breakfast cereals play a crucial role in children’s diets, providing essential nutrients that are vital for their growth and development. Children are known to be more susceptible than adults to the harmful effects of food contaminants, with mycotoxins being a common concern in cereals. This study specifically investigated aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), enniatin B (ENNB), and sterigmatocystin (STG), three well-characterized mycotoxins found in cereals. The research aimed to address existing knowledge gaps by comprehensively evaluating the bioaccessibility and intestinal absorption of these three mycotoxins, both individually and in combination, when consumed with breakfast cereals and milk. The in vitro gastrointestinal method revealed patterns in the bioaccessibility of AFB1, ENNB, and STG. Overall, bioaccessibility increased as the food progressed from the stomach to the intestinal compartment, with the exception of ENNB, whose behavior differed depending on the type of milk. The ranking of overall bioaccessibility in different matrices was as follows: digested cereal > cereal with semi-skimmed milk > cereal with lactose-free milk > cereal with soy beverage. Bioaccessibility percentages varied considerably, ranging from 3.1% to 86.2% for AFB1, 1.5% to 59.3% for STG, and 0.6% to 98.2% for ENNB. Overall, the inclusion of milk in the ingested mixture had a greater impact on bioaccessibility compared to consuming the mycotoxins as a single compound or in combination. During intestinal transport, ENNB and STG exhibited the highest absorption rates when ingested together. This study highlights the importance of investigating the combined ingestion and transport of these mycotoxins to comprehensively assess their absorption and potential toxicity in humans, considering their frequent co-occurrence and the possibility of simultaneous exposure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Approaches in Mycotoxins Research: Detection, Prevention and Mode of Action)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

26 pages, 3495 KiB  
Article
Discovering the Protective Effects of Quercetin on Aflatoxin B1-Induced Toxicity in Bovine Foetal Hepatocyte-Derived Cells (BFH12)
by Marianna Pauletto, Mery Giantin, Roberta Tolosi, Irene Bassan, Anisa Bardhi, Andrea Barbarossa, Ludovica Montanucci, Anna Zaghini and Mauro Dacasto
Toxins 2023, 15(9), 555; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins15090555 - 06 Sep 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1450
Abstract
Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) induces lipid peroxidation and mortality in bovine foetal hepatocyte-derived cells (BFH12), with underlying transcriptional perturbations associated mainly with cancer, cellular damage, inflammation, bioactivation, and detoxification pathways. In this cell line, curcumin and resveratrol have proven to be effective in mitigating [...] Read more.
Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) induces lipid peroxidation and mortality in bovine foetal hepatocyte-derived cells (BFH12), with underlying transcriptional perturbations associated mainly with cancer, cellular damage, inflammation, bioactivation, and detoxification pathways. In this cell line, curcumin and resveratrol have proven to be effective in mitigating AFB1-induced toxicity. In this paper, we preliminarily assessed the potential anti-AFB1 activity of a natural polyphenol, quercetin (QUE), in BFH12 cells. To this end, we primarily measured QUE cytotoxicity using a WST-1 reagent. Then, we pre-treated the cells with QUE and exposed them to AFB1. The protective role of QUE was evaluated by measuring cytotoxicity, transcriptional changes (RNA-sequencing), lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde production), and targeted post-transcriptional modifications (NQO1 and CYP3A enzymatic activity). The results demonstrated that QUE, like curcumin and resveratrol, reduced AFB1-induced cytotoxicity and lipid peroxidation and caused larger transcriptional variations than AFB1 alone. Most of the differentially expressed genes were involved in lipid homeostasis, inflammatory and immune processes, and carcinogenesis. As for enzymatic activities, QUE significantly reverted CYP3A variations induced by AFB1, but not those of NQO1. This study provides new knowledge about key molecular mechanisms involved in QUE-mediated protection against AFB1 toxicity and encourages in vivo studies to assess QUE’s bioavailability and beneficial effects on aflatoxicosis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Approaches in Mycotoxins Research: Detection, Prevention and Mode of Action)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 2673 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Storage Temperature and Time on Ergot Alkaloid Concentrations
by Jensen E. Cherewyk, Taylor J. Grusie-Ogilvie, Sarah E. Parker, Barry R. Blakley and Ahmad N. Al-Dissi
Toxins 2023, 15(8), 497; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins15080497 - 05 Aug 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1053
Abstract
Ergot sclerotia produce toxic secondary metabolites, ergot alkaloids, that infect cereal crops and grasses. Ergot alkaloids have two isomeric configurations: the C-8-R-isomer (R-epimer), and the C-8-S-isomer (S-epimer). Ergot contaminated matrices, such as cereal grains or [...] Read more.
Ergot sclerotia produce toxic secondary metabolites, ergot alkaloids, that infect cereal crops and grasses. Ergot alkaloids have two isomeric configurations: the C-8-R-isomer (R-epimer), and the C-8-S-isomer (S-epimer). Ergot contaminated matrices, such as cereal grains or grasses, may be stored for extended periods at various temperatures before being analyzed, utilized, or consumed. This study assessed the concentration of six common ergot alkaloids in both configurations found in naturally contaminated wheat over time (one, two, and four months) at different temperatures (room temperature, +4 °C, and −20 °C) using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. The data indicate that the total ergot concentration within a natural contaminated sample varies over time at room temperature, +4 °C, and −20 °C. The total ergot concentration increased until month two, and decreased at month four, independent of temperature (p < 0.05). The total R-epimer concentration appeared to be less stable over time than the total S-epimer concentration. The changes in the total R and total S-epimer concentrations may have been caused by changes in the ergocristine and ergocristinine concentrations, respectively. Time and temperature should be considered when storing potentially contaminated matrices in a laboratory or practical agriculture situations. Quantification of ergot contaminated matrices should occur prior to their use to ensure the most reliable estimates of the concentration of ergot. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Approaches in Mycotoxins Research: Detection, Prevention and Mode of Action)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

30 pages, 910 KiB  
Review
Effect of Acrylamide and Mycotoxins in SH-SY5Y Cells: A Review
by Luna Bridgeman, Cristina Juan, Houda Berrada and Ana Juan-García
Toxins 2024, 16(2), 87; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins16020087 - 06 Feb 2024
Viewed by 1385
Abstract
Thermal processes induce the formation of undesired toxic components, such as acrylamide (AA), which has been shown to induce brain toxicity in humans and classified as Group 2A by the International Agency of Research in Cancer (IARC), as well as some mycotoxins. AA [...] Read more.
Thermal processes induce the formation of undesired toxic components, such as acrylamide (AA), which has been shown to induce brain toxicity in humans and classified as Group 2A by the International Agency of Research in Cancer (IARC), as well as some mycotoxins. AA and mycotoxins’ toxicity is studied in several in vitro models, including the neuroblastoma cell line model SH-SY5Y cells. Both AA and mycotoxins occur together in the same food matrix cereal base (bread, pasta, potatoes, coffee roasting, etc.). Therefore, the goal of this review is to deepen the knowledge about the neurological effects that AA and mycotoxins can induce on the in vitro model SH-SY5Y and its mechanism of action (MoA) focusing on the experimental assays reported in publications of the last 10 years. The analysis of the latest publications shows that most of them are focused on cytotoxicity, apoptosis, and alteration in protein expression, while others are interested in oxidative stress, axonopathy, and the disruption of neurite outgrowth. While both AA and mycotoxins have been studied in SH-SY5Y cells separately, the mixture of them is starting to draw the interest of the scientific community. This highlights a new and interesting field to explore due to the findings reported in several publications that can be compared and the implications in human health that both could cause. In relation to the assays used, the most employed were the MTT, axonopathy, and qPCR assays. The concentration dose range studied was 0.1–10 mM for AA and 2 fM to 200 µM depending on the toxicity and time of exposure for mycotoxins. A healthy and varied diet allows the incorporation of a large family of bioactive compounds that can mitigate the toxic effects associated with contaminants present in food. Although this has been reported in some publications for mycotoxins, there is still a big gap for AA which evidences that more investigations are needed to better explore the risks for human health when exposed to AA and mycotoxins. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Approaches in Mycotoxins Research: Detection, Prevention and Mode of Action)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-4
Back to TopTop