Elevated nuclear sphingoid base-1-phosphates and decreased histone deacetylase activity after fumonisin B1 treatment in mouse embryonic fibroblasts.

Fumonisin B1 (FB1) is a mycotoxin produced by a common fungal contaminant of corn. Administration of FB1 to pregnant LM/Bc mice induces exencephaly in embryos, and ingestion of FB1-contaminated food during early pregnancy is associated with increased risk for neural tube defects (NTDs) in humans. FB1 inhibits ceramide synthase enzymes in sphingolipid biosynthesis, causing sphinganine (Sa) and bioactive sphinganine-1-phosphate (Sa1P) accumulation in blood, cells, and tissues.

Elevated Nuclear and Cytoplasmic FTY720-Phosphate in Mouse Embryonic Fibroblasts Suggests the Potential for Multiple Mechanisms in FTY720-Induced Neural Tube Defects.

FTY720 (fingolimod) is a U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved drug to treat relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis.

Evidence for fumonisin inhibition of ceramide synthase in humans consuming maize-based foods and living in high exposure communities in Guatemala.

Scope: Fumonisin (FB) occurs in maize and is an inhibitor of ceramide synthase (CerS). We determined the urinary FB1 (UFB1 ) and sphingoid base 1-phosphate levels in blood from women consuming maize in high and low FB exposure communities in Guatemala.

Methods And Results: FB1 intake was estimated using the UFB1 .

A blood spot method for detecting fumonisin-induced changes in putative sphingolipid biomarkers in LM/Bc mice and humans.

Fumonisins (FB) are mycotoxins found in maize. They are hypothesised risk factors for neural tube defects (NTDs) in humans living where maize is a dietary staple. In LM/Bc mice, FB1-treatment of pregnant dams induces NTDs and results in increased levels of sphingoid base 1-phosphates in blood and tissues.