Effect of Spirulina and Fish Processing By-Products Extracts on Citrinin-Induced Cytotoxicity in SH-SY5Y Cells

Abstract

Citrinin (CIT) is a mycotoxin commonly found in grains, fruits, herbs, and spices. Its toxicity primarily affects the kidney and liver. Meanwhile, food industry by-products, particularly from fishing and aquaculture, contribute significantly to environmental concerns but can also serve as valuable sources of nutrients and bioactive compounds. Additionally, microalgae like spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) offer interesting high-added-value compounds with potential biological and cytoprotective properties. This study aims to reduce CIT’s toxicity on SH-SY5Y cells using natural extracts from the microalgae spirulina and fish processing by-products (sea bass head). The combination of these extracts with CIT has shown increased cell viability up to 15% for fish by-products extract and about 10% for spirulina extract compared to CIT alone. Furthermore, a notable reduction of up to 63.2% in apoptosis has been observed when fish by-products extracts were combined with CIT, counteracting the effects of CIT alone. However, the extracts’ effectiveness in preventing CIT toxicity in the cell cycle remains unclear. Overall, considering these nutrient and bioactive compound sources is crucial for enhancing food safety and mitigating the harmful effects of contaminants such as mycotoxins. Nevertheless, further studies are needed to investigate their mechanisms of action and better understand their protective effects more comprehensively.