Oxidative Role of Aflatoxin B1 on the Liver of Wheat Milling Workers

Abstract

Aim: The study aimed to estimate oxidative role of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) on the liver in wheat milling workers. Materials and Methods:Case-control study was conducted to compare between the levels of AFB1/albumin (AFB1/alb), liver enzymes (ALT, AST, GGT, and ALP), P53, MDA, GST, SOD, zinc and vitamin C in 35 wheat milling workers and 40 control subjects.Results: Statistical analysis revealed that ALT, AST, GGT, ALP, P53, MDA, GST and SOD in workers were significantly elevated compared to their controls. In the milling workers, there were significant correlations between MDA levels and the levels of AST, GGT, and P53, while, P53 was inversely correlated with GST and SOD activities. There were significant correlations between Zn levels and GGT, GST and SOD activities, between vitamin C and GST activities, and vitamin C inversely correlated with MDA. Conclusion:The present study concluded that the oxidative stress of AFB1 elevated the MDA and the liver enzymes in wheat milling workers. GST has a crucial role in the detoxification of aflatoxin and SOD as a scavenger antioxidant increased in the workers to overcome the oxidative toxic effects of AFB1 on the liver of the workers, and roles of Zn and vitamin C were significant in activation of these processes.

Carcinogenic effects of aflatoxin B1 among wheat handlers

“…12 In a previous study, we found that the serum P53 was significantly higher in wheat mill workers with high serum levels of AFB1 compared to non-occupationally exposed controls. 13 The primary tumor biomarker for HCC is alphafetoprotein (AFP), a single polypeptide chain glycoprotein, and early diagnosis of HCC improves the survival of patients. Alpha-l-fucosidase (AFU) is a lysosomal enzyme found in mammalian cells and is a proposed tumor marker for HCC.…”

Role of antioxidant supplementation in oxidant/antioxidant status and hepatotoxic effects due to aflatoxin B1 in wheat miller workers

“…AFB1 has important public health implications where climatic conditions are favorable for the growth of AFB1-producing fungi. Aflatoxins are common food contaminants causing hepatotoxicity, immunosuppression, teratogenicity, mutagenicity, and carcinogenicity [1][2][3].…”

“…Aflatoxins influence oxidative status by increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and causing alteration in antioxidant enzymes [1,7,8]. Oxidative stress arises when ROS synthesis exceeds the ability of the antioxidant defenses to eliminate them, leading to oxidation of proteins, lipids, and DNA [9].…”

“…During this process, free radicals form a covalent adducts with DNA and proteins [8,9]. Therefore, oxidative stress of AFB1 can elevate levels of MDA and may induce liver injury, which leads to an elevation of liver enzymes in wheat miller workers [1]. Oxidative stress has been found to play an important role in the toxicity and carcinogenesis of aflatoxins [1,8].…”

“…This decrease in basal cytochrome P450 concentrations can lead to a decrease in the activity of aflatoxin biotransformation, which in turn leads to persistent elevation of aflatoxins in the body [11]. In our previous study, the crucial role of glutathione S-transferase (GST) in the detoxification of AFB1 and the scavenger antioxidant role of superoxide dismutase (SOD) was detected as a defense mechanism in wheat miller workers against the oxidative toxic effects of AFB1 on their livers; furthermore, the significant roles of zinc and vitamin C in the activation of these processes were also detected [1].…”