From cellular stress to cytokine modulation: An in vitro study of intestinal effects of major Alternaria mycotoxins

In in vitro intestinal models, alternariol (AOH), alternariol methyl ether (AME), and altertoxin I (ATX-I) show low toxicity in undifferentiated Caco-2 cells but alter cell cycle and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels.

• Why it matters: Because the gastrointestinal tract is the first organ exposed to food-borne mycotoxins, it is important to define how Alternaria toxins affect intestinal barrier function and immune signaling.
• What they did: Using multiple in vitro intestinal cell models, including differentiated Caco-2/HT29-MTX-E12 co-culture and the EpiIntestinal TM system, the study tested barrier integrity, viability, cytokine responses to IL-1beta, and measured uptake.
• The result: AOH and AME reduced IL-1beta-induced IL-8 secretion while TeA increased it, and in EpiIntestinal TM AOH, AME, and TeA caused minor viability effects without barrier compromise, with low absorption for AOH, AME, and TeA.

AI summary of the abstract · may contain errors · not medical advice · read the paper.