Fumonisin B1 is a mycotoxin produced from F. moniliforme, a prevalent fungus of corn and other grains. Outbreaks of food poisoning in livestock and humans following the consumption of Fusarium infested corn are caused by fumonisins.[1] It functions as an inhibitor of ceramide synthase (sphingosine N-acyltransferase).[2] Fumonisin B1 attenuates the response of P388D1 cells to PAF and LPS by inhibiting ceramide formation.[3] It also blocks the apoptotic response of HaCaT cells to the antiproliferative drug hexadecylphosphocholine, again through inhibition of ceramide production.[4] Incubation of Swiss 3T3 cells with fumonisin B1 results in both an altered cell morphology due to disruption of axonal growth and a decrease in cell proliferation.[5]
Reference:
[1]. Gelderblom, W.C.A., Jaskiewicz, K., Marasas, W.F.O., et al. Fumonisins - novel mycotoxins with cancer-promoting activity produced by Fusarium moniliforme. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 54, 1806-1811 (1988).
[2]. Wang, E., Norred, W.P., Bacon, C.W., et al. Inhibition of sphingolipid biosynthesis by fumonisins. Implications for diseases associated with Fusarium moniliforme. J. Biol. Chem. 266(22), 14486-14490 (1991).
[3]. Balsinde, J., Balboa, M.A., and Dennis, E.A. Inflammatory activation of arachidonic acid signaling in murine P388D1 macrophages via sphingomyelin synthesis. The Journal of Biological Chemisty 272, 20373-20377 (1997).
[4]. Wieder, T., Orfanos, C.E., and Geilen, C.C. Induction of ceramide-mediated apoptosis by the anticancer phospholipid analog, hexadecylphosphocholine. The Journal of Biological Chemisty 273, 11025-11031 (1998).
[5]. Meivar-Levy, I., Sbanay, H., Bershadsky, A.D., et al. The role of sphingolipids in the maintenance of fibroblast morphology. The inhibition of protrusional activity, cell spreading, and cytokinesis induced by fumonisin B1 can be reversed by ganglioside GM3. The Journal of Biological Chemisty 272, 1558-1564 (1997).