Citrinin affects the oxidative metabolism of BHK-21 cells.

The effects of citrinin on energy production along the respiratory chain and on glycolytic lactate production were examined in BHK-21 cultured cells. Citrinin inhibited the oxygen consumption rate by about 45 per cent. The respiratory rate of digitonin-treated cells energized with succinate, in the presence of ADP, was reduced by about 39 per cent. The mycotoxin inhibited the glucose utilization of BHK-21 cells by about 86 per cent. Cells treated with citrinin produced a small quantity of pyruvate, but were unable to produce lactate. It is concluded that BHK-21 cells cannot generate lactate when oxidative metabolism is inhibited by citrinin. The perturbations in BHK-21 cells caused by citrinin are due to alterations in mitochondrial function and in the glycolytic anaerobic pathway.