The toxic effects of microcystin-LR on mouse lungs and alveolar type II epithelial cells

• Published in: Toxicon (Oxford) 2016-06, Vol.115, p.81-88
• Main Authors: Wang, Cong, Gu, Shen, Yin, Xiaoqin, Yuan, Mingming, Xiang, Zou, Li, Zutong, Cao, Honghui, Meng, Xiannan, Hu, Kebin, Han, Xiaodong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: activation; Animals; Apoptosis; Apoptosis - drug effects; Biological Sciences; Biologiska vetenskaper; Cell Line; Cell Survival - drug effects; Chronic low dose; Collapse; Cyanobacteria; Cyanobacteria - chemistry; cyanotoxins; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Epithelial Cells - drug effects; Female; inhibition; Integrity; line; liver; Lung; Lung - cytology; Lung - drug effects; Lungs; mechanisms; mesenchymal transition; metastasis; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Microcystin-LR; Microcystins - toxicity; Pharmacology & Pharmacy; Rendering; surfactant; Toxic; Toxicology; Uptakes; water
• ISSN: 0041-0101; 1879-3150
• DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2016.03.007

Microcystin-leucine arginine (MC-LR) is produced by cyanobacteria and can accumulate in lungs through blood circulation. However, the effect of MC-LR on lung remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the chronic, low-dose effect of MC-LR on mouse lung tissues and the influence of MC-LR on mouse alveolar type II epithelial cells (ATII cells). MC-LR was orally administered to mice at 0, 1, 10, and 40 μg/L for 6 consecutive months and mouse lungs were obtained for histopathological and immunoblot analysis. ATII cells were cultured in various concentrations of MC-LR (0, 0.5, 5, 50, 500 nmol/L) for indicated time and the cell viability and proteins change were tested. Our study revealed that the chronic, low-dose MC-LR exposure induced alveolar collapse and lung cell apoptosis as well as the breach of cell junction integrity. Furthermore, following treatment with MC-LR, ATII cells could uptake MC-LR, resulting in apoptosis and disruption of cell junction integrity. These data support the toxic potential of low-dose MC-LR in rendering chronic injury to lung tissues. [Display omitted] •Chronic low-dose exposure to MC-LR was toxic to lung.•MC-LR could induce the decrease of cell-to-cell communication in mouse lung.•MC-LR suppress the activity of ATII cells.•Intercellular junctions were decreased with the increase concentration of MC-LR.