Toxicological effects of patulin mycotoxin on the mammalian system: an overview

Abstract

The mycotoxin PAT (4-hydroxy-4-furo[3,2]pyran-2[6]-one) is a secondary metabolic product of molds such as ,, and species. PAT is a common contaminant of fruit and vegetable based products, most notably apples. Despite PAT's original discovery as an antibiotic, it has come under heavy scrutiny for its potential to impart negative health effects. Studies investigating these health effects have proved its toxic potential. PAT occurrence in the food commodities poses a serious threat and necessitates novel and cost-effective mitigation methods to remove it from food products. It also creates a demand to improve handling and food processing techniques. With this being the case, several studies have been devoted to understanding the key biological and chemical attributes of PAT. While past research has elucidated a great deal, PAT contamination continues to be a challenge for the food industry. Here, we review its influence within the mammalian system, including its regulation, incidences of experimental evidence of PAT toxicity, its interaction with intracellular components, and the effects of PAT induced systemic toxicity on vital organs. Finally, key areas where future PAT research should focus to best control the PAT contamination problem within the food industry have been addressed.

Toxicological and Medical Aspects of Aspergillus-Derived Mycotoxins Entering the Feed and Food Chain

“…(Puel et al, 2010;Frisvad, 2018;Vidal et al, 2019) but, occasionally, by some Byssochlamys (Sant'Ana et al, 2010;Frisvad, 2018) and Aspergillus spp., including A. giganteus, A. longivesica, and A. clavatus (Varga et al, 2007;Pal et al, 2017;Frisvad, 2018) as well. Chemically, PAT is a water-soluble, colorless, polyketide lactone (Figure 3), which is thought to exert its toxicity through reacting with thiol groups (cysteine, glutathione, thiol moieties of proteins) in the cytoplasm (Pal et al, 2017). In addition to its antibacterial, antiviral, and antiprotozoal activities, PAT was also reclassified as a mycotoxin.…”

“…Because PAT also possesses acute toxicity, teratogenicity, and mutagenicity properties at the same time (Puel et al, 2010), the emerging symptoms of PAT mycotoxicoses are typically non-specific but mostly connected to the enzyme inhibitions (Pal et al, 2017). The affected enzymes usually take part in digestion, metabolism, and energy production.…”

“…As this is a quite stable secondary metabolite, it can withstand various harsh processing steps, such as milling and heating. Apples and apple derivatives have the highest concentration of PAT, and a maximum of 16 mg/kg has been reported so far (Pal et al, 2017). Although the incidence of PAT contamination is fairly high worldwide (Schatzmayr and Streit, 2013) commercial apple juices normally contain less than 10 µg/kg of PAT (Pal et al, 2017).…”

“…Apples and apple derivatives have the highest concentration of PAT, and a maximum of 16 mg/kg has been reported so far (Pal et al, 2017). Although the incidence of PAT contamination is fairly high worldwide (Schatzmayr and Streit, 2013) commercial apple juices normally contain less than 10 µg/kg of PAT (Pal et al, 2017). Because PAT remains stable during apple processing, PAT detection is often used as a quality control parameter, indicating whether or not moldy apple was processed (Karlovsky et al, 2016).…”

Patulin Mycotoxin in Mango and Orange Fruits, Juices, Pulps, and Jams Marketed in Pakistan

“…PAT toxicity relates to deleterious formation of adducts with sulfhydryl groups, producing acute and chronic toxicity problems in animals and humans [16]. Exposure to this mycotoxin is associated with immunological, neurological, and gastrointestinal outcomes such as distension, ulceration, and hemorrhage [17,18]. Body organs affected by PAT include kidney, liver, intestine, spleen, and stomach.…”