Apicidin compromises oocyte quality by disrupting meiotic apparatus and histone acetylation

Apicidin, an emerging mycotoxin increasingly detected in cereal crops and animal feed, has been reported to exert adverse effects on animals and cell lines. Oocyte maturation is essential for successful fertilization and early embryonic development. However, the effects of Apicidin (AP) exposure on oocyte maturation remain unclear. To address this, oocytes were used as an in vitro model. We found that AP exposure significantly inhibits meiotic maturation. Specifically, AP treatment delayed meiotic progression, disrupted spindle assembly, and led to chromosome misalignment, accompanied by a reduction in actin filament density. AP exposure downregulated mRNA expression of HDAC1 and HDAC3 and increased the acetylation levels of H3K14, H4K16, and α-tubulin. Moreover, AP induced increased DNA damage and early apoptosis in oocytes. Together, these results demonstrate that AP impairs oocyte quality by disrupting meiotic apparatus and altering histone acetylation.