Antioxidant effect of onions against aflatoxin B1 -induced lipid peroxidation in rat liver and blood

Exposure to dietary aflatoxin B1 [AFB1] is considered to be an important risk factor for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma in the developing world. The mechanism of AFB1 -induced cellular damage has not been well characterized, however previous in vitro studies suggested that AFB1 was capable of inducing oxidative damages through the release of reactive oxygen species. Onions as one of the important Allium species commonly used in our daily diet are proved recently to have an antioxidant properties. Hence, the present study was conducted to investigate the role of AFB1 in induction of lipid peroxidation in liver tissue and blood samples of albino rats and to evaluate the potential benefits of onion juice pretreatment on the antioxidant defense system in comparison with vitamin C as a standard antioxidant. Results from this study showed that antioxidant defence system which plays a critical role in carcinogenesis is severely altered after AFP1 administration. The evidence comprises significant enhancement of malondialdehyde production [the most relevant lipid peroxidation product] and decreased activities of scavenging antioxidant enzymes [glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, superoxide dismutase and catalase] that scavenge superoxide, hydrogen peroxide and lipid peroxide. Also, non-enzymic antioxidant levels as glutathione, antioxidant vitamins A, F, C were significantly decreased. These deleterious effects were controlled by pretreatment with onion juice and vitamin C, however the effects of onion juice was more pronounced than that of vitamin C in AFP1 -treated animals indicating its capacity to induce effectively the in vivo antioxidant defense system. These observations indicate that with regard to human population at high risk to AFB1 exposure, ingestion of onions may be protective and therapeutic owing to issues of their efficiency, potency and absent toxicity besides their easy availability as food stuffs

Assessment of genome damage in a population of Egyptian workers occupationally exposed to cotton dusts

Earlier reports described byssinosis syndrome among workers in cotton industry, while recent studies have shown that workers occupationally exposed to cotton dusts have an increased risk of development of many types of cancer. Hence this study was conducted to assess genotoxic effects [as a measure of carcinogenic risk] of chronic cotton dust inhalation in workers with byssinosis and to combine clinical and occupational data with the results of genotoxicity assays in order to reach quantitativness in risk assessment. Clinically, byssinosis was diagnosed mainly in workers employed at early production areas of yarn preparation: opening, blowing and carding [80%] and those working as machine operators [8.5%]. There was significant correlation between the duration of exposure to cotton dusts and the clinical severity of the disease. Study of cytogenetic markers in exposed workers showed significant increase in the percent of total chromosomal breaks and aberrations as well as the mean value of sister chromatid exchanges accompanied with significant decrease in mitotic index value as compared to controls. Assessment of total genomic damage of DNA by visual comparing of the density of released [migrated, damaged] DNA bands and by measuring the optical density of damaged DNA bands using Gel-Pro computer program revealed 20% increase in DNA damage in blood lymphocytes of workers chronically exposed to cotton dusts when compared to non-exposed controls. Also, there was 50% increase in the optical density of the released RNA in blood lymphocytes of exposed workers than controls which might be used as an index of stress of pollution applied on cotton industry workers. Comet assay endpoints revealed more than twice times higher number of migrated DNA spots [damaged, strongly damaged] in blood lymphocytes from cotton industry workers compared to non-exposed subjects. The genotoxicity burden measured as% of total chromosomal breaks, and aberrations, mean values of SCEs/metaphase and DNA damage endpoints [the number of damaged DNA spots and the optical density of damaged DNA] was correlated significantly with the duration of exposure to cotton dusts. Therefore the fact that workers occupationally exposed to cotton dusts have distinctly more chromosomal mutations and DNA damage may be an important indicator in the chronic effect of cotton dust-associated carcinogenesis. Combining the clinical and occupational data with the results of genotoxicity assays showed that the severity of byssinosis syndrome was associated with the degree of genome damage

Cardiac troponins in sudden death

In the present study, serum and pericardial fluid samples were obtained from three groups of deaths: Acute myocardial infarction, other cardiac related deaths and a control group of deaths. Significantly higher serum concentrations of both cardiac troponins T and I were found in deaths due to pathologically established acute myocardial infarction. Similar significant difference was also found as regards serum troponin T levels between other cardiac related and control deaths. There were no significant differences in pericardial fluid concentrations of either marker among the studied groups. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation had no significant effects on the concentrations of both cardiac markers

Undetected drug addict fatalities

Hair analysis screening in 21 fatalities with an unnatural or unknown cause of death [19-48 years of age] was carried out to evaluate the proportion of undetected drug-related cases. Among 21 hair samples tested, 2 [9.5%] were positive for three of the four opiates studied indicating past opiate use although examination, investigation and toxicology analyses failed to uncover evidence of drug abuse. Codeine alone and in combination with dihydrocodeine [DHC] were detected in the roots and 1 centimeter segments of hair of one case, respectively, while morphine and codeine were detected in the six centimeters of hair of the other case. The hair opiate concentrations coincides with that previously reported in cases of death due to acute narcotic intoxication. So, the present results raises certain issues regarding the use of hair as a matrix for postmortem toxicology testing. It can play an important role in determining the factors that caused or contributed to an individual's death in fatalities with undetermined cause of death

Immunohistochemical labeling of prostate specific antigen as a tool for delimitation of the time of death and tissue sexing

To improve the possibilities to delimitate the time of death and to evaluate the use of antigen markers for tissue sexing, immunohistochemical prostate specific antigen detection was used. Prostate and non-prostate [kidney, pancreas, brain] tissue samples were collected from 16 healthy adult autopsied subjects [10 male, 6 female]. Samples were collected at five and ten hours after death and all of them were stained with H and E and PSA immunohistochemistry. The present study demonstrates that both intensity and distribution of PSA in prostate tissue appeared to be influenced by the time period between death and postmortem. At five hours after death, prostate tissue showed strong positive PSA immunostaining in both glandular epithelium and fibromuscular stroma, whereas moderate PSA positively restricted to glandular epithelial cells that showed degenerative changes together with heterogeneity in the strength of PSA reactivity with in the same specimen were noticed ten hours after death

P53 autoantibodies as a predictor for potential cadmium carcinogenecity in exposed workers

The main purpose of this study was to determine whether cadmium [Cd] exposurecould elevate serum p53 autoantibodies in order to assess the potentialcarcinogenicity of Cd among occupationally exposed workers. Forty maleworkers employed in a dry battery factory in Cairo [27 smokers and 13 nonsmokers] represented a model population for this study to be compared witha control group of 50 unexposed nonsmoker healthy persons matched according toage and sex. Blood samples were collected and analyzed for the assessment ofserum p53 autoantibodies and blood Cd concentrations. Meanwhile, Cd concentrations in air in different areas of the factory were determined. Thestudy revealed a significant association between Cd concentration in theenvironment and the blood of the exposed workers with the highest levelsobtained in workers of the production area [11.128 +/- 2.135 mug/dl]. The integrated index for Cd exposure was insignificantly higher in smoker workerscompared with the nonsmokers incriminating passive smoking as source of Cd exposure in working places. Moreover, the study revealed a significant higher p53 autoimmune index in Cd exposed workers [2.206 +/- 0.069] compared withthe control subjects [0.144 +/- 0.016]. In addition, p53 autoimmune indexwas significantly higher in smoker compared with nonsmoker Cd exposed workersand both had significantly higher p53 autoimmune index compared with controls. Additionally, an association was found between integrated index for Cd exposure and p53 autoimmune index

Monitoring of diesel exhaust exposed workers at risk by clinical and cytogenetic studies

Clinical assessment revealed that exposure to diesel exhaust [DE] inducedallergic manifestation with significant increase in the number of exposedworkers with clinical asthma, allergic conjunctivitis and eczema. Additionally, there was a significant increase in the percent of exposedworkers with auditory troubles and hypertension. Cytogenetic study revealedsignificant increase in the frequencies of chromosome aberrations [CA] andsister chromatid exchanges [SCEs] among exposed workers. Whereas, the mitoticindex insignificantly decreased. The increased duration of exposure to DEsignificantly affected the frequency of SCEs but not that of CA. Moreover,treatment of the cultures with N-acetylcysteine significantly decreased thefrequencies of CA and improvement of the mitotic index as compared withnon-treated cultures, whereas, no significant decrease was observed in thefrequencies of SCEs

study of within-pair discrimination of genetically identified monozygotic twins

10 pairs of morphologically concordant, like-sexed twins whose monozygositywere confirmed by HLA-DR genomic typing using a combination of PCRamplification and DNA heteroduplex analysis were subjected for within-paircomparison of fingernail striation patterns and some dermatoglyphic traits offingertips, middle phalanges, palms, toes and soles. Fingernail striationpattern showed large areas of similarity between both members of monozygotic[MZ] twin, but it was still unique. So, they could be used for within-pairdiscrimination of MZ twins. Both qualitative and quantitative dermatoglyphicanalyses revealed that within-pair pattern symmetry is best illustrated bycomparing palmar and plantar patterns on heterologous [right versus left andvice versa] palms and soles. Also, middle phalanges gave high percentage ofpattern symmetry on homologous fingers. However, fingertip and toe patternsshowed high% of within-pair pattern asymmetry; thus, they are the mosthelpful dermatoglyphic traits for within-pair discrimination