title: Ochratoxin A and beta2-microglobulinuria in healthy individuals and in chronic interstitial nephropathy patients in the centre of Tunisia: a hot spot of Ochratoxin A exposure.
abstract: Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a nephrotoxic mycotoxin considered to be the causal agent of the Balkan endemic nephropathy (BEN). In Tunisia, a chronic interstitial nephropathy (CIN) of unknown aetiology, resembling BEN, has been characterised wherein OTA seems to be implicated too. However, despite the considerable number of investigations conducted so far, the role of OTA in the outcome of this human nephropathy is still uncertain. In this study, an attempt is being made to consolidate the link between OTA and the Tunisian CIN of unknown aetiology. Blood OTA and beta(2)-microglobulinuria levels were measured in several groups of healthy individuals and patients having different renal diseases of known and unknown aetiologies (100 nephropathy patients and 40 healthy subjects). The high blood OTA and beta(2)-microglobulinuria levels seem to be strongly associated to the CIN of unknown aetiology. Our results support the involvement of this nephrotoxic agent in the outcome of this particular human nephropathy and underline furthermore the importance of beta(2)-microglobulinuria in the characterization of this disease.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Recherche sur les Substances Biologiquement Compatibles (LRSBC), Faculté de Médecine Dentaire, Rue Avicenne, 5019 Monastir, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Wafa
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hassen
authors.forename: Salwa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abid
authors.forename: Abdellatif
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Achour
authors.forename: Edmond
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Creppy
authors.forename: Hassen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bacha
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000652:urine; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D002908:Chronic Disease; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009395:Nephritis, Interstitial / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000652:urine*; D009793:Ochratoxins / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000097:blood; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000652:urine*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002273:Carcinogens; D009793:Ochratoxins; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin; C025589:ochratoxin A