Interaction of Mycotoxins with α<sub>1</sub>-Acid Glycoprotein (AGP) and Bovine Milk Proteins: Zearalenone, Zearalenols, and Sterigmatocystin Form Highly Stable Complexes with AGP

Mycotoxins are frequent food contaminants posing health risk to humans and animals. Since these interactions have been barely studied yet, we examined the potential complex formation of mycotoxins with human α<sub>1</sub>-acid glycoprotein (AGP) and with bovine milk proteins (including c...

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Main Authors: Miklós Poór, Patrik Gömbös, András Szabó, Balázs Zoltán Zsidó, Csaba Hetényi, Tamás Huber, András Lukács, Sándor Kunsági-Máté
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Toxins
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/17/4/151
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author Miklós Poór
Patrik Gömbös
András Szabó
Balázs Zoltán Zsidó
Csaba Hetényi
Tamás Huber
András Lukács
Sándor Kunsági-Máté
author_facet Miklós Poór
Patrik Gömbös
András Szabó
Balázs Zoltán Zsidó
Csaba Hetényi
Tamás Huber
András Lukács
Sándor Kunsági-Máté
author_sort Miklós Poór
collection DOAJ
description Mycotoxins are frequent food contaminants posing health risk to humans and animals. Since these interactions have been barely studied yet, we examined the potential complex formation of mycotoxins with human α<sub>1</sub>-acid glycoprotein (AGP) and with bovine milk proteins (including casein (CSN), β-lactoglobulin (LG), and α-lactalbumin (LA)) based on fluorescence spectroscopic and ultracentrifugation techniques. Only weak interactions (log<i>K</i> = 2.7 to 3.5) of certain mycotoxins were observed with CSN, LG, and/or LA. Ultracentrifugation experiments demonstrated that aflatoxin M1, zearalenone, and α-zearalenol form more stable complexes with CSN than with LG or LA. These mycotoxins bound to bovine serum albumin with more than a tenfold higher affinity compared to CSN; nevertheless, it has likely limited importance due to the relatively low levels of BSA in bovine milk. Zearalenone, zearalenols, and sterigmatocystin showed strong interactions with AGP (log<i>K</i> = 5.5 to 6.4), suggesting that AGP may play an important role in the plasma protein binding of these mycotoxins.
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spelling doaj-art-3ee25a138d594a34b1f4e3c577c8a16b2025-08-20T02:18:10ZengMDPI AGToxins2072-66512025-03-0117415110.3390/toxins17040151Interaction of Mycotoxins with α<sub>1</sub>-Acid Glycoprotein (AGP) and Bovine Milk Proteins: Zearalenone, Zearalenols, and Sterigmatocystin Form Highly Stable Complexes with AGPMiklós Poór0Patrik Gömbös1András Szabó2Balázs Zoltán Zsidó3Csaba Hetényi4Tamás Huber5András Lukács6Sándor Kunsági-Máté7Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical School, University of Pécs, Ifjúság útja 13, H-7624 Pécs, HungaryInstitute of Physiology and Nutrition, Department of Physiology and Animal Health, Agribiotechnology and Precision Breeding for Food Security National Laboratory, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, H-2103 Gödöllő, HungaryInstitute of Physiology and Nutrition, Department of Physiology and Animal Health, Agribiotechnology and Precision Breeding for Food Security National Laboratory, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, H-2103 Gödöllő, HungaryPharmacoinformatics Unit, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Medical School, University of Pécs, Szigeti út 12, H-7624 Pécs, HungaryPharmacoinformatics Unit, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Medical School, University of Pécs, Szigeti út 12, H-7624 Pécs, HungaryDepartment of Biophysics, Medical School, University of Pécs, Szigeti út 12, H-7624 Pécs, HungaryDepartment of Biophysics, Medical School, University of Pécs, Szigeti út 12, H-7624 Pécs, HungaryDepartment of Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Pécs, Honvéd u. 1, H-7624 Pécs, HungaryMycotoxins are frequent food contaminants posing health risk to humans and animals. Since these interactions have been barely studied yet, we examined the potential complex formation of mycotoxins with human α<sub>1</sub>-acid glycoprotein (AGP) and with bovine milk proteins (including casein (CSN), β-lactoglobulin (LG), and α-lactalbumin (LA)) based on fluorescence spectroscopic and ultracentrifugation techniques. Only weak interactions (log<i>K</i> = 2.7 to 3.5) of certain mycotoxins were observed with CSN, LG, and/or LA. Ultracentrifugation experiments demonstrated that aflatoxin M1, zearalenone, and α-zearalenol form more stable complexes with CSN than with LG or LA. These mycotoxins bound to bovine serum albumin with more than a tenfold higher affinity compared to CSN; nevertheless, it has likely limited importance due to the relatively low levels of BSA in bovine milk. Zearalenone, zearalenols, and sterigmatocystin showed strong interactions with AGP (log<i>K</i> = 5.5 to 6.4), suggesting that AGP may play an important role in the plasma protein binding of these mycotoxins.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/17/4/151mycotoxinszearalenonezearalenolssterigmatocystinaflatoxinsα<sub>1</sub>-acid glycoprotein
spellingShingle Miklós Poór
Patrik Gömbös
András Szabó
Balázs Zoltán Zsidó
Csaba Hetényi
Tamás Huber
András Lukács
Sándor Kunsági-Máté
Interaction of Mycotoxins with α<sub>1</sub>-Acid Glycoprotein (AGP) and Bovine Milk Proteins: Zearalenone, Zearalenols, and Sterigmatocystin Form Highly Stable Complexes with AGP
Toxins
mycotoxins
zearalenone
zearalenols
sterigmatocystin
aflatoxins
α<sub>1</sub>-acid glycoprotein
title Interaction of Mycotoxins with α<sub>1</sub>-Acid Glycoprotein (AGP) and Bovine Milk Proteins: Zearalenone, Zearalenols, and Sterigmatocystin Form Highly Stable Complexes with AGP
title_full Interaction of Mycotoxins with α<sub>1</sub>-Acid Glycoprotein (AGP) and Bovine Milk Proteins: Zearalenone, Zearalenols, and Sterigmatocystin Form Highly Stable Complexes with AGP
title_fullStr Interaction of Mycotoxins with α<sub>1</sub>-Acid Glycoprotein (AGP) and Bovine Milk Proteins: Zearalenone, Zearalenols, and Sterigmatocystin Form Highly Stable Complexes with AGP
title_full_unstemmed Interaction of Mycotoxins with α<sub>1</sub>-Acid Glycoprotein (AGP) and Bovine Milk Proteins: Zearalenone, Zearalenols, and Sterigmatocystin Form Highly Stable Complexes with AGP
title_short Interaction of Mycotoxins with α<sub>1</sub>-Acid Glycoprotein (AGP) and Bovine Milk Proteins: Zearalenone, Zearalenols, and Sterigmatocystin Form Highly Stable Complexes with AGP
title_sort interaction of mycotoxins with α sub 1 sub acid glycoprotein agp and bovine milk proteins zearalenone zearalenols and sterigmatocystin form highly stable complexes with agp
topic mycotoxins
zearalenone
zearalenols
sterigmatocystin
aflatoxins
α<sub>1</sub>-acid glycoprotein
url https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/17/4/151
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