Mechanisms underlying protective effects of vitamin E against mycotoxin deoxynivalenol‐induced oxidative stress and its related cytotoxicity in primary human brain endothelial cells

Fusarium mycotoxins are one of the largest families of mycotoxins. Among these mycotoxins, deoxynivalenol is the most widespread pollutant of grains. However, the mechanism underlying the effect of deoxynivalenol on cytotoxicity in human brain endothelial cells was still unclear. This study examined whether deoxynivalenol induced oxidative stress‐associated cytotoxicity in primary human brain endothelial cells (HBEC‐5i), and explored whether Vitamin E (VE), a selective antioxidant, had protective effects on deoxynivalenol‐treated cells. Deoxynivalenol (10‐50 μM) concentration‐dependently induced cytotoxicity in HBEC‐5i cells. Deoxynivalenol (IC50 = 20 μM) activated mitochondrial apoptotic pathway by modulating antioxidant protein expressions (Nrf2, HO‐1 and NQO1). More significantly, pre‐treatment with VE (20 μM) attenuated the deoxynivalenol‐induced cytotoxicity in this cell model. Together, VE significantly alleviated the apoptotic effects of deoxynivalenol in HBEC‐5i cells suggesting that it protected the cells against deoxynivalenol‐induced oxidative damage. Our findings provided new insight that VE had the potential to ameliorate neurotoxicity of deoxynivalenol.