Citrinin

Citrinin (NSC 186) is a mycotoxin that causes food contamination and has different toxic effects. Citrinin is an effective oral anticancer agent. Citrinin has various regulatory effects on mouse immune system, including regulating the number of immune cells, inducing apoptosis and autophagy of immune cells, altering toll-like receptor expression and cytokine production. Citrinin can induce oxidative stress and lead to early apoptosis of oocytes. Low doses of Citrinin have neuroprotective effects against glutamate-induced excitotoxicity in rat cortical neurons. In addition, Citrinin also has antibacterial activity^{[1][2][3][4][5]}. In Vitro: Citrinin (0.1-1000 nM; 24 h) has neuroprotective effects in glutamate-treated rat cortical neurons (at low doses)^[2].
Citrinin (1-10 μg/mL; 6 h) induces late apoptosis of immune cells^[3].
Citrinin (1-10 μg/mL; 6 h) increases the rate of Bax/Bcl-2 expression in freshly isolated spleen cells^[3]. In Vivo: Citrinin (1-10 mg/kg; Oral gavage; 14 days) has a variety of immunomodulatory effects in mice and may change the normal function of the immune system^[3].
Citrinin (2 mg/kg; Oral administration; 3 weeks) has an antitumor effect in a mouse breast cancer model induced by DMBA (HY-W011845)^[4].