Association of aflatoxin B(1)-albumin adduct levels with hepatitis B surface antigen status among adolescents in Taiwan.
Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and aflatoxin B(1) (AFB(1)) exposure interact synergetically to induce hepatocellular carcinoma. One suggested mechanism for this interaction is the enhanced activation of AFB(1) in chronically HBV-infected individuals. Whereas no associations between chronic HBV infection and AFB(1)-albumin adducts were observed in several studies in adults, hepatitis B surface antigen (HbsAg)-positive children were found to have elevated adducts in Gambia. To assess the association between chronic HBV infection and AFB(1)-albumin adduct level in Taiwan, 200 junior high school adolescents from 20 townships were assayed for HBsAg and AFB(1)-albumin adducts. The mean AFB(1)-albumin adduct level was higher in HBsAg-positive compared with HBsAg-negative subjects. The association between HBsAg status and AFB(1)-albumin adducts remained after multivariate adjustment. This finding additionally supports the synergetic interaction between HBV and AFB(1), but the mechanism remains to be elucidated.
Chen
S Y
SY
Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health of Columbia University, New York, New York 10032, USA.
Chen
C J
CJ
Chou
S R
SR
Hsieh
L L
LL
Wang
L Y
LY
Tsai
W Y
WY
Ahsan
H
H
Santella
R M
RM
D000293:Adolescent; D016604:Aflatoxin B1 / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D000418:Albumins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018736:DNA Adducts / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D013624:Taiwan
D000418:Albumins; D018736:DNA Adducts; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D016604:Aflatoxin B1