Study of the genotoxic potential of 17 mycotoxins with the SOS Chromotest.

Seventeen mycotoxins [aflatoxins B1 (AFB1), B2 (AFB2), G1 (AFG1), G2 (AFG2), aflatoxicol, sterigmatocystin, patulin, citrinin, penicillic acid, T-2 toxin, diacetoxyscirpenol, zearalenone, zearalenol (alpha and beta isomers 1:1), ochratoxin A, norsolorinic acid, averufin, versicolorin A] were tested using the SOS Chromotest (PQ37 and PQ35). Six of the mycotoxins (AFB1, AFG1, AFB2, aflatoxicol, sterigmatocystin and versicolorin A) were genotoxic on PQ37 strain with and without metabolic activation. The results obtained with metabolic activation are in agreement with positive results obtained in other tests of genotoxicity. Except for AFB2, the presence of a double bond C8-C9 in the dihydrobenzofurane (DHBF) ring explained the activity due to the formation of an epoxide, but the coumarin cyclopentenone ring also plays a role in the qualitative differences of genotoxic activity. The wild-type uvrB gene in PQ35 decreases the genotoxic response with and without metabolic activation. Without metabolic activation, only mycotoxins possessing the DHBF ring group and double linkage C8-C9 exhibit a genotoxic effect.