title: Fecal water genotoxicity in healthy free-living young Italian people.
abstract: Dietary habit affects the composition of human feces thus determining intestinal environment and exposure of colon mucosa to risk factors. Fecal water (FW) citotoxicity and genotoxicity were investigated in 33 healthy young Italian people, as well as the relationship between genotoxicity and nutrient intake or microflora composition. Two fecal samples were collected at 2 weeks apart and 3-d dietary diary was recorded for each volunteer. Cytotoxicity was measured using the Trypan Blue Dye Exclusion assay and genotoxicity using the Comet Assay (alkaline single-cell electrophoresis). Fecal bifidobacteria, total microbial count and nutrient intakes were also assessed. High intra- and inter-variability in genotoxicity data and in bacteria counts were found. None of the FW samples were citotoxic, but 90% of FW samples were genotoxic. Seventy five percent indicated intermediate and 15% were highly genotoxic. There was a different sex-related distribution. Genotoxicity was positively correlated to the total lipid intake in females and to the bifidobacteria/total bacteria count ratio in male volunteers. These results demonstrate that the majority of FW samples isolated from free-living Italian people show intermediate level of genotoxicity and sustain a relation between this possible non-invasive marker of colorectal cancer risk with both dietary habits and colonic ecosystem.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences DeFENS, Human Nutrition, University of Milan, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milano, Italy. Electronic address: daniela.erba@unimi.it.
authors.forename: Erba
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Daniela
authors.affiliation: AAT - Advanced Analytical Technologies Srl, Via Martiri della Resistenza-Galleria San Giuseppe, 1, 29122 Piacenza, Italy. Electronic address: sara.soldi@aat-taa.eu.
authors.forename: Soldi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sara
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Diagnostic Medicine and Public Health, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via G Campi 287, 41100 Modena, Italy. Electronic address: marcella.malavolti@unimore.it.
authors.forename: Malavolti
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marcella
authors.affiliation: Mondelēz International, R&D, Via Marcello Nizzoli, 3, 20147 Milano, Italy. Electronic address: garagone@mdlz.com.
authors.forename: Aragone
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giovanni
authors.affiliation: Mondelēz International, R&D, Nutrition Department, Saclay, 6 rue René RAZEL, Saclay 91400, France. Electronic address: alexandra.meynier@mdlz.com.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meynier
authors.affiliation: Mondelēz International, R&D, Nutrition Department, Saclay, 6 rue René RAZEL, Saclay 91400, France. Electronic address: sophie.vinoy@mdlz.com.
authors.forename: Vinoy
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sophie
authors.affiliation: Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences DeFENS, Human Nutrition, University of Milan, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milano, Italy. Electronic address: maria.casiraghi@unimi.it.
authors.forename: Casiraghi M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Cristina
mesh_terms: D018938:Caco-2 Cells; D004032:Diet; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D014867:Water
keywords: Bifidobacteria; Comet Assay; Dietary habits; Fecal water; Genotoxicity