Ochratoxin A in human blood in relation to nephropathy in Tunisia

1995 ◽  
Vol 14 (7) ◽  
pp. 609-614 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Maaroufi ◽  
A. Achour ◽  
M. Hammami ◽  
M. El May ◽  
AM Betbeder ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ochratoxin A ◽  
Human Blood ◽  
Western Europe ◽  
The Other ◽  
Balkan Endemic Nephropathy ◽  
Mean Values ◽  
The Balkans ◽  
Endemic Nephropathy ◽  
Interstitial Nephropathy

The determination of ochratoxin A (OTA) in human blood in Tunisian populations is underway. The range of conta mination is between 0.7 to 7.8 ng ml-1 for the general popu lation and 12 to 55 ng ml-1 for people suffering from chron ic renal failure. It appears that 21 to 64% of people suffer ing from nephropathy are OTA positive with a detection limit of 1ng ml-1. This situation prompted us to search for possible association of OTA contamination and nephropa thy resembling Balkan endemic nephropathy. The classifi cation of the ill population into chronic interstitial nephropathy (CIN), chronic glomerular nephropathy (CGN), chronic vascular nephropathy (CVN) and others, indicated that the largest is the CIN group which is signifi cantly different from the other groups, and from the con trol (P < 0.005). Furthermore, it presented the highest OTA mean values (25 to 59 ng ml-1) compared with the control, CGN, CVN and other groups (6 to 18 ng ml-1) according to the designated region in Tunisia. The rural population seems to be more exposed to ochratoxins in Tunisia, as has been previously reported in the Balkans and Western Europe. Altogether, these results emphasise that in Tunisia an endemic ochratoxin-related nephropathy is probably occurring.

Ochratoxin a and human chronic nephropathy in Tunisia: is the situation endemic?

2003 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 77-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salwa Abid ◽  
Wafa Hassen ◽  
Abdellatif Achour ◽  
Habib Skhiri ◽  
Khira Maaroufi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Kidney Disease ◽  
Ochratoxin A ◽  
Healthy Subjects ◽  
Balkan Endemic Nephropathy ◽  
Causative Role ◽  
The Balkans ◽  
Endemic Nephropathy ◽  
Interstitial Nephropathy ◽  
End Stage ◽  
Human Nephropathy

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a nephrotoxic mycotoxin that is being increasingly considered as the main causal agent of Balkan endemic nephropathy (BEN), a fatal kidney disease associated with the end stage of urothelial tumours. However, despite the considerable amount of data, it is still controversial whether OTA plays a causative or only a subordinate role in the induction of this human nephropathy. Tunisia for years had to confront a very similar human nephropathy, which is tentatively called chronic interstitial nephropathy of unknown cause. This study tends firstly to consolidate the suspected link between this Tunisian chronic interstitial nephropathy (CIN) of unknown cause and the presence of OTA in the blood and food of such patients, and second to enlighten the endemic character of this particular nephropathy. Therefore, in four consecutive inquiries, performed within the period 1991-2000, blood and food OTA contaminations were assayed and compared for 954 nephropathy patients and 205 healthy subjects from the Tunisian general population. This survey was also designed to show that, although the whole population is likely to be exposed to OTA, specific people living in conditions showing similarities with the Balkans do have a kidney disease apparently linked to ochratoxin in food. The results showed that the highest incidences were found in patients with CIN of unknown cause. Indeed, the percentages of OTA-positive samples ranged from 93% to 100%, whereas it was only from 62% to 82% in healthy subjects. Mean OTA concentrations were also higher in patients with CIN of unknown cause than in controls (44.4±-19 mg/L to 55.6±-19 mg/L as opposed to 1.22±-1.2 mg/L to 3.35±-2.32 mg/L, respectively). This study emphasizes further the implication of OTA on this particular human nephropathy and underlines the probable causative role of OTA in the onset of this disease. It is important to note that the highest levels of food OTA contamination were found in the group presenting with CIN of unknown cause, indicating that, similar to the case in the Balkans, people are exposed to OTA essentially by their food.

Ochratoxin A in human blood and Balkan endemic nephropathy

1982 ◽  
Vol 51 (4) ◽  
pp. 313-321 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karl Hult ◽  
Radovan Pleština ◽  
Vlasta Habazin-Novak ◽  
Božica Radić ◽  
Stjepan Čeović
Keyword(s):  
Ochratoxin A ◽  
Human Blood ◽  
Balkan Endemic Nephropathy ◽  
Endemic Nephropathy

Karyomegaly of tubular kidney cells in human chronic interstitial nephropathy in Tunisia: respective role of Ochratoxin a and possible genetic predisposition

2004 ◽  
Vol 23 (7) ◽  
pp. 339-346 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wafa Hassen ◽  
Salwa Abid-Essafi ◽  
Abdellatif Achour ◽  
Noureddine Guezzah ◽  
Abdelfettah Zakhama ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ochratoxin A ◽  
Food Samples ◽  
Balkan Endemic Nephropathy ◽  
Unknown Aetiology ◽  
Tubular Epithelial Cells ◽  
Renal Tubular Epithelial Cells ◽  
Endemic Nephropathy ◽  
Interstitial Nephropathy ◽  
Renal Tubular

Karyomegalic nephropathy associated to bizarre enlargement of nuclei in renal tubular epithelial cells was first described by Mihatch in 1979. We present herein additional cases occurring in three siblings suffering from chronic interstitial nephropathy (CIN) of unknown aetiology where the renal biopsies showed numerous enlarged and hyperchromatic nuclei. CIN of unknown aetiology has been previously characterized and showed striking similarities with Balkan Endemic Nephropathy (BEN). Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a nephrotoxic mycotoxin suspected to be the causal agent of the BEN as well as the Tunisian CIN of unknown aetiology. OTA is incriminated in the onset of these disclosed cases of karyomegalic nephropathy since high OTA concentrations were found in blood (505.83 ng/ml, 102.63 ng/ml and 1023 ng/ml) and in urine (94.40 ng/ml and 10.18 ng/ml) of two of them. Moreover, we have investigated OTA in blood and urine as well as in food samples of the entire household (21 people). Our findings suggest (i) a link between OTA and the outcome of this karyomegalic nephropathy, and (ii) the possible involvement of a genetic factor since the three cases have the same haplotype B27/35.

Image, Europe, drama

Human Affairs ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mishel Pavlovski
Keyword(s):  
Western Europe ◽  
National Level ◽  
The Other ◽  
European Identity ◽  
Potential Danger ◽  
The Balkans ◽  
Binary Oppositions ◽  
Utopian Theory ◽  
The One ◽  
Practical Level

AbstractBy questioning the ways in which a supra-national European identity can be created in an environment of globalization, this article starts with the thesis that this concept faces problems which must be resolved first and foremost at the national level. By problematizing multiculturalism as a “utopian theory” which does not solve any problems at the practical level, and by viewing interculturalism as a potential danger to “smaller” cultures, this article identifies what it is that hinders the possible acceptance of the idea of a Europe without borders by analyzing plays by Goran Stefanovski. In four of his plays, Euralien, Hotel Europa, Ex-Yu, and Goce, Stefanovski criticizes Western Europe, on the one hand, for constructing a problematic Other, imposing a visa regime, and contributing to its marginalization, and the Balkans on the other, for mythologizing its nationally-romanticized narrative. The paper sheds light on the fact that the acceptance of a common (shared) European identity, a necessity which propagates itself amidst conditions of globalization, is dependent on the ways in which Europe will resolve its problems, such as the marginalization of the Other, way of thinking in binary oppositions, like old/new Europe, rich/poor Europe, and especially (talking about Balkan countries) the phrase South-East Balkan.

Deadly Remedy

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geoffrey C. Kabat
Keyword(s):  
Weight Loss ◽  
Urinary Tract ◽  
Young Women ◽  
Upper Urinary Tract ◽  
Kidney Damage ◽  
Molecular Techniques ◽  
Balkan Endemic Nephropathy ◽  
Herbal Supplements ◽  
The Balkans ◽  
Endemic Nephropathy

The dangers of herbal supplements were highlighted when a number of young women attending a weight loss clinic in Brussels, Belgium developed kidney failure. It turned out that the herb Aristolochia had been mistakenly substituted for another benign herb. Scientists linked the type of kidney damage found in the women in Brussels to a long-standing mysterious disease in the Balkans, referred to as Balkan Endemic Nephropathy. Studies using molecular techniques have shown that the cause of both conditions is a compound in the Aristolochia plant, which can cause kidney damage as well as a rare cancer of the upper urinary tract. This research underscores the dangers of certain herbal supplements.

Evaluation of Agreement Among Routine Methods for Determination of Fluoride in Vegetation: Interlaboratory Collaborative Study

1982 ◽  
Vol 65 (5) ◽  
pp. 1150-1154
Author(s):  
Jay S Jacobson ◽  
John J Troiano ◽  
Christina C Cosentini ◽  
John Evans
Keyword(s):  
Significant Interaction ◽  
Collaborative Study ◽  
Considerable Improvement ◽  
The Other ◽  
Mean Values ◽  
Potentiometric Analysis ◽  
Aoac Official ◽  
Vegetation Samples ◽  
Action Methods

Abstract An interlaboratory collaborative study was conducted to evaluate the performance of methods and laboratories for the measurement of fluoride in vegetation. Samples of 8 plant species containing about 5-200 ppm fluoride were distributed to 40 participants who were instructed to use their routine methods of analysis. Methods which had sufficient participants to allow the inclusion of results in statistical analyses were classified into 3 categories: (1) Willard-Winter method (similar to the AOAC official final action method); (2) semiautomated and potentiometric methods (similar to the 2 AOAC official first action methods); and (3) potentiometric analysis with prior ashing, fusion, and/or distillation (not an approved method). There was a significant interaction of methods with samples caused by 3 of the 8 samples. In the other 5 samples, the Willard-Winter and semiautomated methods gave higher mean values for fluoride content than did the 2 potentiometric methods. Despite considerable improvement in speed and simplicity of fluoride analyses during the last decade, agreement between laboratories has not improved because of the variety of methods and techniques in use, the inherent differences between methods, and, apparently, poor laboratory quality control.

scholarly journals A Journey Through Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase and Ochratoxin A Interactions

2009 ◽  
Vol 60 (4) ◽  
pp. 449-456 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lada Rumora ◽  
Tihana Grubišić
Keyword(s):  
Protein Kinase ◽  
Ochratoxin A ◽  
Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase ◽  
Balkan Endemic Nephropathy ◽  
Cytotoxic Action ◽  
Extracellular Signal ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Mitogen Activated Protein ◽  
Endemic Nephropathy ◽  
A Cell

A Journey Through Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase and Ochratoxin A InteractionsOchratoxin A (OTA) is a ubiquitous mycotoxin with potential nephrotoxic, carcinogenic, and cytotoxic action. It has been proposed that OTA might be involved in the development of Balkan endemic nephropathy, which is associated with an increased risk of urinary tract tumours, and of other forms of interstitial nephritis. Cell susceptibility to OTA mainly depends on mycotoxin concentrations, duration of exposure, and intracellular molecular and genetic context. OTA can affect a cell by stimulating or inhibiting certain signalling pathways such as mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). Three major mammalian MAPKs have been described: extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38 MAPK. All MAPKs regulate diverse cellular programmes, but in most cases ERKs have been linked to cell survival, while JNKs, and p38 MAPKs have been implicated in cell death by apoptosis. This review looks into OTA-mediated MAPK activation and its effects.

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