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Aflatoxin exposure in Nigerian children with severe acute malnutrition
Food and Chemical Toxicology
  • Amy McMillan, Lawson Health Research Institute
  • Justin B. Renaud, London Research and Development Centre
  • Kevin M.N. Burgess, London Research and Development Centre
  • Adebola E. Orimadegun, University of Ibadan
  • Olusegun O. Akinyinka, University of Ibadan
  • Stephen J. Allen, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
  • J. David Miller, Carleton University
  • Gregor Reid, Lawson Health Research Institute
  • Mark W. Sumarah, London Research and Development Centre
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2018
URL with Digital Object Identifier
10.1016/j.fct.2017.11.030
Abstract

Aflatoxin exposure is an important public health concern in sub-Saharan Africa as well as parts of Latin America and Asia. In addition to hepatocellular carcinoma, chronic aflatoxin exposure is believed to play a role in childhood growth impairment. The most reliable biomarker of chronic aflatoxin exposure is the aflatoxin-albumin adduct, as measured by ELISA or isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS). In this report, we have used high resolution LC-MS/MS with IDMS to quantitate AFB -lysine in an extremely vulnerable population of Nigerian children suffering from severe acute malnutrition. To increase the sensitivity and reliability of the analyses, a labelled AFB - C N -lysine internal standard was synthesized. AFB -lysine concentrations in this population ranged between 0.2 and 59.2 pg/mg albumin, with a median value of 2.6 pg/mg albumin. AFB -lysine concentrations were significantly higher in stunted children (median = 4.6 pg/mg) compared to non-stunted (1.2 pg/mg), as well as in children with severe acute malnutrition (4.3 pg/mg) compared to controls (0.8 pg/mg). The median concentrations were also higher in children with kwashiorkor (6.3 pg/mg) compared to those suffering from marasmus (0.9 pg/mg). This is the first report of the use of high-resolution mass spectrometry to quantitate AFB -lysine in humans. 1 1 6 2 1 1 1 13 15

Citation Information
Amy McMillan, Justin B. Renaud, Kevin M.N. Burgess, Adebola E. Orimadegun, et al.. "Aflatoxin exposure in Nigerian children with severe acute malnutrition" Food and Chemical Toxicology Vol. 111 (2018) p. 356 - 362
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/gregor-reid/15/