{"title":"Targeting MLKL ameliorates T-2 toxin-induced cartilage damage by inhibiting chondrocyte death and matrix degradation in mice","authors":"Meng Zhang, Xiaoru Zhao, Yue Liu, Yinan Liu, Yawen Shi, Ying Zhang, Jinghong Chen","doi":"10.1007/s00204-025-03966-9","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>T-2 toxin is the most toxic mycotoxin found in contaminated food and animal feed that threatens health. Exposure to T-2 toxin causes cartilage damage and leads to joint disorders, but the mechanisms underlying T-2 toxin-induced cartilage damage remain unclear. The results showed that T-2 toxin-induced chondrocyte death in articular cartilage from rats fed T-2 toxin (200 ng/g b.w./day) caused a significant increase in phosphorylated receptor-interacting protein 3 (p-RIPK3) and phosphorylated mixed lineage kinase-like protein (p-MLKL). In vitro studies showed that T-2 toxin (48 ng/mL) reduced the viability of C-28/I2 chondrocytes, increased cell apoptosis, and significantly upregulated the expression of p-MLKL. The results suggest that chondrocyte necroptosis is involved in T-2 toxin-induced cartilage damage. Furthermore, necrostatin-1 (Nec-1), a necroptosis inhibitor, significantly attenuated T-2 toxin-induced cell death and the increase of p-MLKL. Further studies showed that <i>mlkl</i><sup>−/−</sup> mice suppressed T-2 toxin-induced chondrocyte death, and <i>mlkl</i><sup>−/−</sup> mice upregulated T-2 toxin-induced proteoglycan content and type II collagen reduction in mouse articular cartilage, and reduced increased matrix metalloproteinase-13 expression. Besides, the p-RIPK3 and p-MLKL were significantly increased in the articular cartilage of KBD patients. This study highlights the role of RIPK3/MLKL-mediated necroptosis in T-2 toxin-induced articular cartilage damage. Inhibition of MLKL alleviates T-2 toxin-induced cartilage damage by reducing chondrocyte death and matrix degradation in mice. These results suggest a potential therapeutic target for mitigating T-2 toxin-induced cartilage damage.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8329,"journal":{"name":"Archives of Toxicology","volume":"99 4","pages":"1505 - 1516"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8000,"publicationDate":"2025-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Archives of Toxicology","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00204-025-03966-9","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"TOXICOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
T-2 toxin is the most toxic mycotoxin found in contaminated food and animal feed that threatens health. Exposure to T-2 toxin causes cartilage damage and leads to joint disorders, but the mechanisms underlying T-2 toxin-induced cartilage damage remain unclear. The results showed that T-2 toxin-induced chondrocyte death in articular cartilage from rats fed T-2 toxin (200 ng/g b.w./day) caused a significant increase in phosphorylated receptor-interacting protein 3 (p-RIPK3) and phosphorylated mixed lineage kinase-like protein (p-MLKL). In vitro studies showed that T-2 toxin (48 ng/mL) reduced the viability of C-28/I2 chondrocytes, increased cell apoptosis, and significantly upregulated the expression of p-MLKL. The results suggest that chondrocyte necroptosis is involved in T-2 toxin-induced cartilage damage. Furthermore, necrostatin-1 (Nec-1), a necroptosis inhibitor, significantly attenuated T-2 toxin-induced cell death and the increase of p-MLKL. Further studies showed that mlkl−/− mice suppressed T-2 toxin-induced chondrocyte death, and mlkl−/− mice upregulated T-2 toxin-induced proteoglycan content and type II collagen reduction in mouse articular cartilage, and reduced increased matrix metalloproteinase-13 expression. Besides, the p-RIPK3 and p-MLKL were significantly increased in the articular cartilage of KBD patients. This study highlights the role of RIPK3/MLKL-mediated necroptosis in T-2 toxin-induced articular cartilage damage. Inhibition of MLKL alleviates T-2 toxin-induced cartilage damage by reducing chondrocyte death and matrix degradation in mice. These results suggest a potential therapeutic target for mitigating T-2 toxin-induced cartilage damage.
期刊介绍:
Archives of Toxicology provides up-to-date information on the latest advances in toxicology. The journal places particular emphasis on studies relating to defined effects of chemicals and mechanisms of toxicity, including toxic activities at the molecular level, in humans and experimental animals. Coverage includes new insights into analysis and toxicokinetics and into forensic toxicology. Review articles of general interest to toxicologists are an additional important feature of the journal.