aflatoxin-g1 and Lung-Neoplasms

Up to now, most of the etiological studies of lung cancer have been focused on air pollution, radiation and smoking, etc, whereas in the past decades, we had found that fungi and mycotoxins in foodstuff might play important roles in the carcinogenesis of lung cancer. Our preliminary work showed that the liquid in pickled vegetables consumed by residents of Taihang Mountain area in Hebei Province and corn flours inoculated with Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus versicolor in which aflatoxin G1(AFG1) and Sterigmatocystin (ST) were detected, could induce lung adenocarcinoma in Kunming, LACA and NIH mice as well as Wistar rats. Further studies with AFG1 and ST confirmed that oral administration of the two mycotoxins could induce lung adenocarconma in NIH mice. The experimental lung carcinoma induction studies with fungi and mycotoxins in our lab are summarized in this review.

Topics: Aflatoxins; Animals; Aspergillus; Humans; Lung Neoplasms; Mice; Rats; Sterigmatocystin

Aflatoxin G1 (AFG1) is a member of the carcinogenic aflatoxin family produced by aspergillus flavus. It is a major contaminating mycotoxin in food in areas of China with high cancer incidence. The purpose of this study is to explore the carcinogenic effects of AFG1 in NIH mice.. NIH mice were randomly divided into three groups. Two experimental groups were treated intragastrically by gavage with AFG1 3 microg/kg and AFG1 30 microg/kg respectively, 3 times a week for 24 weeks. The control group was treated with normal saline. All mice were fed with food that was free of AFGs as confirmed by HPLC analysis. The mice were weighed every week throughout the entire experiment, and then sacrificed and examined pathologically at the 58th and 74th weeks respectively.. Compared with control mice receiving no AFG1, bronchial epithelial hyperplasia, alveolar hyperplasia and adenocarcinoma of lung were observed in mice receiving AFG1 treatment. The incidences of bronchial epithelial hyperplasia, alveolar hyperplasia and adenocarcinoma of lung were 60.0%, 10.0% and 30.0% for mice receiving 3 microg/kg AFG1 and 28.6%, 35.7%, 42.9% for mice receiving 30 microg/kg of the toxin, respectively.. Oral administration of AFG1 can induce hyperplastic lesions and adenocarcinoma of lung in NIH mice.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Aflatoxins; Animals; Aspergillus flavus; Carcinogens; Lung Neoplasms; Mice; Random Allocation