Effects of p53 knockout on ochratoxin A-induced genotoxicity in p53-deficient gpt delta mice

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin produced by fungal species and is carcinogenic targeting the S3 segment of the renal proximal tubules in rodents. We previously reported that exposure of gpt delta rats to OTA induced both mutations in the red/gam gene (Spi(-)), suggesting large deletion mutations, and fluctuations in genes transcribed by p53 in the kidneys, which were associated with DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair, particularly homologous recombination (HR) repair. In the present study, to investigate the effects of p53 knockout on OTA-induced mutagenicity, apoptosis, and karyomegaly in renal tubular cells, p53-proficient and p53-deficient gpt delta mice were given 1 and 5mg/kg of OTA for 4 weeks. Significant increases in Spi(-) mutant frequencies (MFs) were observed in the kidneys of p53-deficient gpt delta mice given 5 mg/kg of OTA, but not in the kidneys of p53-proficient gpt delta mice given the same dose. There were no changes in gpt MFs in both genotypes of mice treated with OTA. Western blotting analysis demonstrated that p53 protein levels in the kidneys of p53-proficient mice given OTA were significantly increased compared with the control. Incidences of apoptosis and karyomegaly in not only the outer stripe of outer medulla but also the cortex were significantly higher in p53-deficient at 5mg/kg than in p53-proficient gpt delta mice at same dose, which had no change in the cortex, the inner stripe of outer stripe, and the inner medulla. Given that p53 regulates HR repair in DSBs, these results suggest that OTA may promote large deletion mutations in the process of HR repair for DSBs. Additionally, the lower incidence of karyomegaly and apoptosis found in the p53-proficient gpt delta mice suggests that these phenomena may arise from OTA-induced DNA damage.