title: Aflatoxin exposure during the first 1000 days of life in rural South Asia assessed by aflatoxin B₁-lysine albumin biomarkers.
abstract: Aflatoxin B1 is a potent carcinogen, occurring from mold growth that contaminates staple grains in hot, humid environments. In this investigation, aflatoxin B1-lysine albumin biomarkers were measured by mass spectrometry in rural South Asian women, during the first and third trimester of pregnancy, and their children at birth and at two years of age. These subjects participated in randomized community trials of antenatal micronutrient supplementation in Sarlahi District, southern Nepal and Gaibandha District in northwestern Bangladesh. Findings from the Nepal samples demonstrated exposure to aflatoxin, with 94% detectable samples ranging from 0.45 to 2939.30 pg aflatoxin B1-lysine/mg albumin during pregnancy. In the Bangladesh samples the range was 1.56 to 63.22 pg aflatoxin B1-lysine/mg albumin in the first trimester, 3.37 to 72.8 pg aflatoxin B1-lysine/mg albumin in the third trimester, 4.62 to 76.69 pg aflatoxin B1-lysine/mg albumin at birth and 3.88 to 81.44 pg aflatoxin B1-lysine/mg albumin at age two years. Aflatoxin B1-lysine adducts in cord blood samples demonstrated that the fetus had the capacity to convert aflatoxin into toxicologically active compounds and the detection in the same 2-year-old children illustrates exposure over the first 1000 days of life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Center for Human Nutrition, Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. Electronic address: jgroopma@jhsph.edu.
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Groopman
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
authors.forename: Patricia A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Egner
authors.affiliation: Center for Human Nutrition, Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
authors.forename: Kerry J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Schulze
authors.affiliation: Center for Human Nutrition, Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
authors.forename: Lee S-F
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Center for Human Nutrition, Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Merrill
authors.affiliation: Center for Human Nutrition, Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
authors.forename: Sucheta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mehra
authors.affiliation: Center for Human Nutrition, Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
authors.forename: Abu A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Shamim
authors.affiliation: Center for Human Nutrition, Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
authors.forename: Hasmot
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.affiliation: Center for Human Nutrition, Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
authors.forename: Saijuddin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shaikh
authors.affiliation: Center for Human Nutrition, Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gernand
authors.affiliation: Center for Human Nutrition, Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
authors.forename: Subarna K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Khatry
authors.affiliation: Center for Human Nutrition, Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
authors.forename: Steven C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: LeClerq
authors.affiliation: Center for Human Nutrition, Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
authors.forename: Keith P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: West
authors.affiliation: Center for Human Nutrition, Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
authors.forename: Parul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Christian
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016604:Aflatoxin B1 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D000348:Aflatoxins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D001459:Bangladesh; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000032:analysis*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008239:Lysine / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D009390:Nepal; D011247:Pregnancy; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000348:Aflatoxins; D015415:Biomarkers; D002273:Carcinogens; D012709:Serum Albumin; D016604:Aflatoxin B1; D008239:Lysine
keywords: Aflatoxin; Aflatoxin B(1)-lysine albumin biomarkers; Child health; Maternal exposure