Indirect immunoperoxidase localization of aflatoxin B1 in rat liver

The in vivo disposition of aflatoxin B1 in rat liver

The disposition of a non-toxic i.p. dose of [3H]-aflatoxin B1 (0.70 micrograms/kg) in the blood, plasma, and liver was studied in male Wistar rats. Uptake into the blood, plasma, and liver was biphasic; there was an initial rapid rise (0-2 hr) followed by a second phase (2-12 hr) of a gradual increase. Most of the radioactivity in the blood was bound noncovalently to albumin. Distribution of radioactivity in the subcellular fractions of liver showed that the microsomes exhibited the highest labeling which increased over the time course; labeling of the cytosol reached a maximum at 2 hr then decreased to a new steady state, whereas the mitochondria and nuclei reached a plateau. When the content of aflatoxin B1 in the nuclear subfractions was examined, greater than 92% of the total radioactivity was found in the deoxyribonucleoprotein fraction, and 84% of this was bound noncovalently. These results suggest that aflatoxin B1 is transported from the site of injection through the blood to the liver and its subcellular and subnuclear fractions primarily in a noncovalent form.

Application of immunoassay in the food industry

Immunoassay techniques using the highly specific and sensitive nature of immunological reactions have been developed and applied in the food industry for detecting the naturally occurring constituents, antibiotics, pesticide residues, microorganisms, and fragments of microbial constituents related to food analysis, food production, food processing, and food safety. Both polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies are employed for the development of the various immunoassay systems, including enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) and radioimmunoassay (RIA). Immunoassay techniques provide complementary and/or alternate approaches in reducing the use of costly, sophisticated equipment and analysis time, but still maintaining reliability and improved sensitivity. Immunoassay techniques in their most simple forms provide excellent screening tools to detect adulteration and contaminations qualitatively. The application of immunoassay techniques contributes tremendously to the quality control and safety of our food supply.

Intercellular variation in levels of adducts of aflatoxin B1 and G1 in DNA from rat tissues: a quantitative immunocytochemical study

Adducts between aflatoxin B1 and G1 and DNA have been visualised and quantified in various rat tissues by a sensitive immunocytochemical approach. The quantitative validity of this assay has been examined by comparison with experiments using radioactively labelled aflatoxin. Rats were exposed to single and multiple doses of aflatoxin and a marked intercellular variation in adduct levels was observed in kidney and lung, in contrast to the liver, where binding was more homogeneous. No adducts were detected in the oesophagus, forestomach, colon, spleen or testes (detection limit approximately 300 pg aflatoxin/mg DNA). The DNA adduct data are discussed in relation to the carcinogenicity of aflatoxin B1 and G1.

Immunocytochemical localization of benzo(a)pyrene-DNA adducts in human tissue

Specimens of human lung, uterine cervix, ovary, and placenta were studied for the presence of benzo(a)pyrene 7,8-diol 9,10 epoxide (BPDE)-DNA adducts by using rabbit anti-BPDE-DNA antibody and light microscopic immunocytochemistry. BPDE-DNA antigenicity was detected in the bronchial epithelial cells, cervical epithelium, oocytes, luteal cells, corpora albicans, and hyalinized media of arteries within the ovaries and trophoblastic cells of the placental villi. In conjunction with immunoassay detection of BPDE-DNA adducts in human peripheral blood lymphocytes, this study demonstrates that a variety of human tissues can metabolize and bind the ubiquitous carcinogen benzo(a)pyrene. The identification and localization of this carcinogen-DNA antigenicity in various tissues and cells may not only help in monitoring exposed persons but also give insight to organ site carcinogenesis, transplacental carcinogenesis, and teratogenesis.

[Carcinogenic and genotoxic effects of mycotoxins]

Aflatoxin B1 is the most potent hepatocarcinogen among the naturally occurring compounds. It's carcinogenic effect was confirmed by longterm-studies in several animal species. There exists detailed knowledge on the molecular mechanism of the carcinogenic effect caused by aflatoxin B1. At present there does not exist a reliable evidence that human primary hepatocellular carcinoma is caused by aflatoxins. Sterigmatocystin is a hepatocarcinogen too. The genotoxicity of sterigmatocystin likewise as of aflatoxin B1 was detected by short-term-tests with microbial systems and mammalian cells in vitro. It is disputable whether ochratoxin A, citrinin and T-2 toxin are carcinogenic or not. Diacetoxyscirpenol, zearalenone and patulin are estimated as not carcinogenic after longterm-studies with oral toxin administration. Patulin and penicillic acid are genotoxic in microbial systems respectively in mammalian cells in vitro. Luteoskyrin is carcinogenic, but there was not detected any genotoxicity.

The distribution and intracellular translocation of aflatoxin B1 in isolated hepatocytes

The distribution and intracellular translocation of AFB1 in various subcellular fractions was investigated in isolated hepatocytes by pulse-chase experiments. After labeling the hepatocytes with [3H]-AFB1 (14.5 nM) for 15 min, the highest concentration of [3H]-AFB1 was found in the cytosolic fraction where 66% was bound noncovalently and 1.5% covalently. The lowest concentration of [3H]-AFB1 was found in the nuclear fraction; 36% and 4.9% were bound noncovalently and covalently respectively. When the [3H]-AFB1 loaded cells were chased with unlabeled AFB1 (1 microM), the radioactivity of [3H]-AFB1 in the cell lysate and cytosolic fraction decreased in time with an apparent rate of elimination (t1/2) of 93 min and 66 min, respectively. The levels of covalently bound AFB1 increased with time and reached a maximum at 60 min in nuclei (270%), and at 120 min in mitochondria (220%) and cytosol (430%) as compared to the zero time. Only in the microsomal fraction was there no significant increase with time in covalently bound AFB1. These results suggest that the toxin after activation by the microsomal mixed function oxidases was either detoxified or transported to other cellular organelles where covalent binding of macromolecules occurred.

Aflatoxin B1 dihydrodiol antibody: production and specificity

A specific antibody for 2,3-dihydro-2,3-dihydroxyaflatoxin B1 (AFB1-diol) was prepared, and its reactivity was characterized for the major aflatoxin (AF) B1 (AFB1) metabolites. Reductive alkylation was used to conjugate AFB1-diol to ethylenediamine-modified bovine serum albumin (EDA-BSA) and horseradish peroxidase for use as an immunogen and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) marker, respectively. High reactant ratios, 1:5 and 1:10, for AFB1-diol-EDA-BSA (wt/wt) resulted in precipitated conjugates which were poorly immunogenic. However, a soluble conjugate obtained by using a 1:25 ratio of AFB1-diol to EDA-BSA could be used for obtaining high-titer AFB1-diol rabbit antibody within 10 weeks. Competitive ELISAs revealed that the AFB1-diol antibody detected as little as 1 pmol of AFB1-diol per assay. Cross-reactivity of AFB1-diol antibody in the competitive ELISA with AF analogs was as follows: AFB1-diol, 100%; AFB1, 200%; AFM1, 130%; AFB2a, 100%; AFG1, 6%; AFG2, 4%; aflatoxicol, 20%; AFQ1, 2%; AFB1-modified DNA, 32%; and 2,3-dihydro-2-(N7-guanyl)-3-hydroxy AFB1, 0.6%. These data indicated that the cyclopentanone and methoxy moieties of the AF molecule were the primary epitopes for the AFB1-diol antibody. The AFB1-diol competitive ELISA was subject to substantial interference by human, rat, and mouse serum albumins but not by BSA, Tris, human immunoglobulin G, or lysozyme. By using a noncompetitive, indirect ELISA with an AFB1-modified DNA solid phase, a modification level of one AFB1 residue for 200,000 nucleotides could be determined.

Immunohistochemical fate of ochratoxin A in mice

By a highly specific antibody against ochratoxin A (OA), the immunohistochemical fate of po administered OA in Swiss mice given a single dose of 25 mg/kg was examined by light microscopy with two immunoperoxidase methods, an indirect method and a peroxidase-antiperoxidase method. Immunohistochemical staining for OA was demonstrated in the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, kidneys, and liver. OA was most intense in the gastrointestinal tract, intermediate in the kidneys, and least in the liver. In the gastrointestinal tract, OA was demonstrable: (i) in the squamous layer of the esophagus, (ii) in the surface mucus and within macrophages and neutrophils of the stomach lamina propria, (iii) within the cytoplasm of duodenal and jejunal surface epithelial cells as well as within macrophages and neutrophils of the duodenal and jejunal lamina propria. Maximal gastrointestinal tract staining was evident from 5 min to 3 hr, while the esophagus remained stained for 24 hr postdosing. No evidence of OA was obtained in the ileum. In the kidneys, the vast majority of OA was localized within the cytoplasm of the proximal convoluted tubular cells as brown-stained vacuoles, whose size became largest at 3 hr postdosing. Staining for OA was also demonstrated within the epithelium of distal convoluted tubules, the macula densa, the loop of Henle, and sometimes within the epithelium of Bowman's capsule and glomerulus. OA in hepatocytes was most intense between 40 min and 3 hr postdosing. Stained hepatocytes were slightly more concentrated in the periportal area than in the area of the central vein and typically exhibited strong cytoplasmic but weak and infrequent nuclear staining. Biliary excretion of OA was demonstrated, since OA was localized in the lumina of biliary ducts but not within biliary cells.