The progressive contamination of food products by mycotoxins such as zearalenone (ZEN) has prompted the search for specific substances that can act as protectors against an accumulation of these toxins. This paper discusses the effect of selenium ions and 24-epibrassinolide (EBR) as non-organic and organic compounds that preserve human lymphoblastic cells U-937 under ZEN stressogenic conditions. Based on measurements of cell viability and a DAPI test, concentrations of ZEN at 30 μmol/l, Se at 2.5 μmol/l and EBR at 0.005 μmol/l were selected. The addition of both protectors resulted in an increase in the viability of ZEN-treated cells by about 16%. This effect was connected with a decrease in lipid peroxidation (a decrease in the malonyldialdehyde content) and the generation of reactive oxygen species, which were determined by a cellular ROS/superoxide detection assay and the SOD activity. The Se protection was observed as the blocking of the all excess ROS, while the EBR action was mainly concentrated on something other than the superoxide radical itself. The experiments on the model lipid membranes that mimic the environment of U-937 cells confirmed the affect of ZEN on the structure and physicochemical properties of human membranes. Although the presence of both Se and EBR reduced the effect of ZEN by blocking its interaction with a membrane, the action of Se was more evident.
Keywords: Human cells; Langmuir monolayers; Membranes; Monocytes; Mycotoxin; U-937; Zearalenone.