In vitro toxicity of trichothecenes on human haematopoietic progenitors

The culture of human haematopoietic progenitors, Colony-Forming-Unit Granulocyte and Macrophage (CFU-GM), has been performed in the presence of four trichothecenes, T-2 toxin, HT-2 toxin, diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS), and deoxynivalenol (DON). Our results showed that trichothecenes were cytotoxic for human haematopoietic progenitors. This work and the analysis of results described in the literature allowed us to propose that the haematologic lesions observed during human intoxication could be due to a destruction of haematopoietic progenitors such as granulocytic and macrophage colony-forming cells.