Humans and animals are frequently exposed to dietary compounds that can adversely affect intestinal health. The Fusarium mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) is known to compromise epithelial barrier integrity. DON frequently co-occurs in food and feed with the mycoestrogen zearalenone (ZEN) and soy-derived isoflavones (ISFs) such as genistein (GEN) and daidzein. Therefore, this study investigates the effects of ZEN (10 nM), its met...

Risk assessment primarily relies on toxicological data of individual substances, with limited information on combined effects. Recent in vitro experiments using Ishikawa cells, an endometrial carcinoma cell line expressing both estrogen receptor isoforms, demonstrated interactive effects of phyto- and mycoestrogens. The mycoestrogens, zearalenone (ZEN), and α-zearalenol (α-ZEL) exhibited significantly enhanced estrogenic respo...

Humans and animals are exposed to multiple substances in their food and feed that might have a negative health impact. Among these substances, the Fusarium mycoestrogen zearalenone (ZEN) and its metabolites α-zearalenol (α-ZEL) and α-zearalanol (α-ZAL) are known to possess endocrine disruptive properties. In a mixed diet or especially animal feed, these potential contaminants might be ingested together with naturally occurring...

Understanding of the physiological role of mammalian hormone—androstenedione (AN)—in plants is scant and the mechanisms of its action at a cellular level are practically unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the physicochemical and biochemical background of AN activity in winter wheat exposed to low temperature. Cold periods are important in the lifecycle of this species as they induce frost resistance and further...