Comparison of toxicity/mycotoxins indoor moulds

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Comparison of the toxicity of reference mycotoxins and spore extracts of

common indoor moulds

Authors: Torsten Schulz1; Klaus Senkpiel1; Helge Ohgke1

Source: _International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health_

(file:///C:/content/urban/441;jsessionid=4c0f56o4351j0.henrietta) , July 2004,

vol.

207, no. 3, pp. 267-277(11)

Publisher: _Urban & Fischer_

(file:///C:/content/urban;jsessionid=4c0f56o4351j0.henrietta)

Abstract:

There is an unclear endangering potential by toxic influences of inhaled

conidiospores and therefore the conidia of indoor mould species were cultured

and toxicologically examined after their mechanical disintegration. For this

purpose high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and three colorimetric

bioassays, the PTGT (pollen tube growth test), the MB (methylene blue) and the

MTT (methylthiazoltetrazolium) assay were applied. The sensitivity of the

biological methods was evaluated by using 12 reference mycotoxins and 3

structural cell wall components. Only in one extract of disintegrated spores

(Aspergillus fumigatus) a mycotoxin (0.22 g gliotoxin/6.2×108 spores) was

determined.

All nine spore extracts, however, turned out to be cytotoxic and in this

case the MTT assay was remarkably more sensitive than the two other test

methods. The IC50 values of six different spore extracts determined by the MTT

assay

were lower than 106 spores/well (well=0.2 ml) whereas the IC50 values

determined by the MB assay and PTGT were higher than 106 spores per 0.2 ml for

each spore extract. An examination of four spore extracts, which were

fractionated depending on their polarity by HPLC, showed that single substances

as well

as synergistic effects contribute to the toxic properties of the spores. The

results of this work indicate a health hazard due to toxic effects after the

inhalation of extremely high spore concentrations of indoor moulds. This

risk will also exist if the spores do not contain any mycotoxins.