Epigenetic effect of the mycotoxin fumonisin B1 on DNA methylation

Abstract

Abstract Mycotoxin fumonisin B1 (FB1) is a secondary metabolite that is produced by certain Fusarium species. Although numerous studies demonstrate toxic and carcinogenic effects of FB1, the underlying mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we evaluated the epigenetic effects of FB1 for the first time using FLO assays, which detect epigenetic changes that affect the flocculation gene (FLO1) promoter activity in budding yeast. FLO assays showed increased reporter activities of the FLO1 promoter in the presence of 10 and 20 µM FB1. FB1 (20 µM) treatments also promoted flocculation. In subsequent in vitro methylation assays of a bacterial DNA methyltransferase (DNMT), FB1 treatments increased DNMT activities. Moreover, global DNA methylation was significantly increased in HEK293 cells treated with 100 µM FB1. Taken together, these results suggest that FB1 exposure leads to unique epigenetic alterations due to increased DNMT activities and demonstrate that FB1 may be an important risk factor for epigenetic dysfunction-associated human diseases including cancer.