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World J Clin Cases. Sep 26, 2018; 6(10): 344-354
Published online Sep 26, 2018. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v6.i10.344
Gastrointestinal toxicity induced by microcystins
Jin-Xia Wu, Hui Huang, Lei Yang, Xiao-Feng Zhang, Shen-Shen Zhang, Hao-Hao Liu, Yue-Qin Wang, Le Yuan, Xue-Min Cheng, Dong-Gang Zhuang, Hui-Zhen Zhang
Jin-Xia Wu, Hui Huang, Hao-Hao Liu, Yue-Qin Wang, Le Yuan, Xue-Min Cheng, Dong-Gang Zhuang, Hui-Zhen Zhang, Department of Environmental Hygiene, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan Province, China
Lei Yang, Xiao-Feng Zhang, Shen-Shen Zhang, Department of Nutriology, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan Province, China
Supported by Henan Natural Science Foundation, No. 162300410267 and the National Nature Science Foundation of China, Nos. 81773384 and 81472948.
Author contributions: Wu JX contributed to the design, analysis of data, and drafting and writing the article; Huang H, Yang L, Zhang XF and Zhang SS critically revised the manuscript for intellectual content; Liu HH, Wang YQ, Yuan L, Cheng XM and Zhuang DG contributed to literature collection; Zhang HZ contributed to critical revision and final approval.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that no conflicts of interest exist in this study.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article, which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Correspondence to: Hui-Zhen Zhang, PhD, Professor, Department of Environmental Hygiene, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, No. 100 Science Avenue, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan Province, China. huizhenzhang@zzu.edu.cn
Telephone: +86-371-67781461
Received: April 23, 2018
Peer-review started: April 23, 2018
First decision: May 23, 2018
Revised: June 8, 2018
Accepted: June 27, 2018
Article in press: June 28, 2018
Published online: September 26, 2018
Abstract

Microcystins (MCs) are produced by certain bloom-forming cyanobacteria that can induce toxicity in various organs, including renal toxicity, reproductive toxicity, cardiotoxicity, and immunosuppressive effects. It has been a significant global environmental issue due to its harm to the aquatic environment and human health. Numerous investigators have demonstrated that MC exposure can induce a widespread epidemic of enterogastritis with symptoms similar to food poisoning in areas close to lakes. Both in vivo and in vitro studies have provided evidence of positive associations between MC exposure and gastrointestinal toxicity. The toxicity of MCs on the gastrointestinal tract is multidimensional. MCs can affect gastrointestinal barrier function and shift the structure of gut microbiota in different gut regions. Furthermore, MCs can inhibit the secretion of gastrointestinal digestive enzymes and the release of inflammatory cytokines, which affects the expression of immune-related genes in the intestine. The damage of the intestine is closely correlated to MC exposure because the intestine is the main site for the digestion and absorption of nutrients. The damage to the gastrointestinal tract due to MCs was summarized from different aspects, which can be used as a foundation for further exploration of molecular damage mechanisms.

Keywords: Immunotoxicity, Gastrointestinal toxicity, Intestine, Depuration, Oxidative stress, Microcystins

Core tip: First, the gastrointestinal toxicity of microcystins (MCs) on a population was described. Second, the concentration or localization of MCs in the small intestine after exposure to various concentrations and different time points, as well as after the depuration of MCs in the intestine, was summarized. Third, the change in morphologic pathology and other effects such as oxidative stress, immunotoxicity, digestive enzymes, and gut microbiota in the intestine with exposure to MCs were discussed. Further challenges that need to be addressed were also summarized.