Decreased fumonisin hepatotoxicity in mice with a targeted deletion of tumor necrosis factor receptor 1

Fumonisin B-1 (FB1), a mycotoxin produced by Fusarium verticillioides and related fungi infests corn and other cereals, and causes a variety of toxic effects in different mammalian species. Hepatotoxicity is a common toxic response in most species. The cellular responses of FB, involve inhibition of ceramide synthase leading to accumulation of free sphingoid bases and a corresponding induction of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha). We recently reported that FB, hepatotoxicity was considerably reduced in a mouse strain lacking tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 (TNFR2 or TNFR1b). To further investigate the relative contribution of the two TNF alpha receptors (TNFR1 and TNFR2 or P55 and P75 receptors) we evaluated the hepatotoxicity of FB, in male C57BL/6J mice (WT) and a corresponding TNFR1 knockout (TNFRKO) strain, genetically modified by a targeted deletion of this receptor. The hepatotoxic effects of five daily injections of 2.25 mg/kg per day of FB, were observed in WT but were reduced in TNFRKO, evidenced by the microscopic evaluation of the liver and increased concentrations of circulating alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase. FB, induced the expression of TNFa. and similar increases in free sphinganine and sphingosine in livers of both WT and TNFRKO mice. Results indicated that both P55 and P75 receptors are required for FB1-induced hepatotoxicity and TNF alpha plays an important role in such response in mouse liver. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.