Abstract:
Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a mycotoxin by the molds Aspergillus flavus and parasiticus. AFB1 is a potent hepatotoxin and hepatocarcinogen in many animal species and has been implicated as an environmental factor in the etiology of human lvier cancer. Human exposure to AFB1 arises through consumption of nuts, cereal grains, and other food crops contaminated with Aspergillus. Recent studies indicate that inhalation of contaminated grain dusts may also be an important route of occupational expsure to aflatoxins.
The hypothesis for this project is that precision-cut liver slices in dynamic organ culture can be used to model AFB1 metabolism and AFB1 binding to cell macromolecules in vivo.
The experimental objective of this project were to: 1) determine the profile of AFB metabolism and the extent of AFB1 binding to cell macromolecules in precision-cut liver slices isolated from rats, and 2) determine the profile of AFB1 metabolism and the extent of AFB1 binding to cell macromolecules in precision-cut liver slices isolated from rats pretreated with the well-studied anticarcinogenic compound ethoxyquin.
Taken from the beginning of thesis.