Zearalenone, which is ubiquitous in grains and animal feed, is a mycotoxin that can cause serious damage to animals and humans. Sertoli cells (SCs) can be used to study ZEA male reproductive toxicity in vitro. SCs provide energy for germ cells, where AMPK regulates intracellular energy. In order to explore the regulatory effect of AMPK on ZEA-induced lactate decline, we activated AMPK by AICAR and then inhibited AMPK by Compound C with ZEA-treated SCs for 24 h to detect intracellular lactate production-related indicators. Cell viability in the presence of 20 μmol/L ZEA and either 50 μmol/L AICAR or 5 μmol/L Compound C, respectively, did not damage SCs, and could effectively either activate or inhibit AMPK. Inhibition of AMPK promoted the production of pyruvate and lactate via increased expression of the glycolysis-related genes Pgam1 and the lactate production-related proteins GLUT1, LDHA, and MCT4. Activating AMPK inhibited the production of lactate and pyruvate by suppressing the expression of glycolysis-related genes HK1, Pgam1, and Gpi1 and that of lactate production-related proteins LDHA and MCT4. Zearalenone destroys the energy balance in SCs, activates P-AMPK, which inhibit the production of lactate and pyruvate in SCs. This also leads to the decrease of energy supply of SCs to spermatogenic cells, damages to reproductive system.

玉米赤霉烯酮在谷物和动物饲料中无处不在，是一种会对动物和人类造成严重伤害的霉菌毒素。Sertoli细胞（SCs）可用于体外研究ZEA雄性生殖毒性。SCs 为生殖细胞提供能量，AMPK 调节细胞内能量。为了探索 AMPK 对 ZEA 诱导的乳酸下降的调节作用，我们通过 AICAR 激活 AMPK，然后通过化合物 C 与 ZEA 处理的 SCs 抑制 AMPK 24 小时，以检测细胞内乳酸生成相关指标。在分别存在20μmol/ L ZEA和50μmol/ L AICAR或5μmol/ L化合物C的情况下，细胞活力不会破坏SC，并且可以有效激活或抑制AMPK。抑制 AMPK 通过增加糖酵解相关基因 Pgam1 和乳酸产生相关蛋白 GLUT1、LDHA 和 MCT4 的表达来促进丙酮酸和乳酸的产生。激活AMPK可以通过抑制糖酵解相关基因HK1，Pgam1和Gpi1以及与乳酸生产相关的蛋白LDHA和MCT4的表达来抑制乳酸和丙酮酸的产生。玉米赤霉烯酮破坏 SCs 中的能量平衡，激活 P-AMPK，从而抑制 SCs 中乳酸和丙酮酸的产生。这也导致SCs对生精细胞的能量供应减少，对生殖系统造成损害。Gpi1 和乳酸产生相关蛋白 LDHA 和 MCT4。玉米赤霉烯酮破坏 SCs 中的能量平衡，激活 P-AMPK，从而抑制 SCs 中乳酸和丙酮酸的产生。这也导致SCs向生精细胞的能量供应减少，对生殖系统造成损害。Gpi1 和乳酸产生相关蛋白 LDHA 和 MCT4。玉米赤霉烯酮破坏 SCs 中的能量平衡，激活 P-AMPK，从而抑制 SCs 中乳酸和丙酮酸的产生。这也导致SCs对生精细胞的能量供应减少，对生殖系统造成损害。