Zearalenone exposure affects epigenetic modifications of mouse eggs.

Abstract

Zearalenone (ZEA) is a mycotoxin produced by various Fusarium fungi, which has been shown to cause several cases of mycotoxicosis in farm animals and humans. However, there is no evidence regarding the effect of ZEA on mouse egg developmental competence. In this study, we found that the activation rate of maturated oocytes was affected in mice by ZEA treatment, indicating that ZEA affects egg developmental competence. And we explored possible mechanisms of low mouse maturated oocyte developmental competence after ZEA treatment from an epigenetic modification perspective. The fluorescence intensity analysis showed that 5-methyl cytosine level increased after ZEA treatment, indicating that the general DNA methylation level increased in the treated eggs. Moreover, histone methylations were also altered: H3K4me2 as well as H3K9me3 and H4K20me1, me2, me3 levels decreased in eggs that were cultured in high-dose ZEA medium. Thus, our results indicated that ZEA decreased egg developmental competence by affecting the epigenetic modifications.

• Authors: Cheng-Cheng Zhu, Yan-Jun Hou, Jun Han, Xiang-Shun Cui, Nam-Hyung Kim, Shao-Chen Sun
• Journal: Mutagenesis (Mutagenesis) Vol. 29 Issue 6 Pg. 489-95 (Nov 2014) ISSN: 1464-3804 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 25155023 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the UK Environmental Mutagen Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: [email protected].

Chemical References

• Histones
• Zearalenone
• Lysine

Topics

• Animals
• Cell Differentiation (drug effects)
• DNA Methylation (drug effects)
• Epigenesis, Genetic (drug effects)
• Female
• Histones (metabolism)
• Humans
• Lysine (metabolism)
• Mice, Inbred ICR
• Ovum (drug effects, metabolism)
• Zearalenone (pharmacology)