Detection of aflatoxin B1-DNA adducts in liver tissue from Malaysia

Khoo ASB¹, Mak JW¹, Ng AB¹, Santella RM² , Navaratnam V³, Lye MS¹, Fuzina NH¹, Suresh K¹

1. Institute for Medical Research, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

2. School of Public Health, Columbia University in the City of New York, New York, United States of America

3. Centre for Drug Research, Science University of Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia

CITATION: Khoo ASB, Mak JW, Ng AB, Santella RM, Navaratnam V, Lye MS, et al. Detection of aflatoxin B1-DNA adducts in liver tissue from Malaysia. International Medical Research Journal. 1997 Jun;1(1):9–11. 

Download Full Article

ABSTRACT

Nine liver specimens of Macaca fascicularis fed with various doses of aflatoxin B1 and three controls as well as sixteen human liver biopsy specimens from Malaysians were stained for the presence of aflatoxin B₁-DNA adducts by immunohistochemistry with a monoclonal antibody against the imidazole ring-opened persistent form of the major N-7 guanine adducts of AFB₁. Livers of all monkeys fed with aflatoxin were positive while none of the controls were positive. Fourteen human liver biopsy specimens were negative for AFB-DNA adducts. A specimen of liver cirrhosis and one hepatocellular carcinoma specimen appeared positive. These findings show evidence of past exposure to aflatoxin B₁ in those individuals.

KEYWORDS: aflatoxin, biomarker, hepatocellular carcinoma, immunological techniques, DNA adducts