title: Influence of aflatoxin B1 on copy number variants in human leukocytes in vitro.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a mycotoxin produced by Aspergillus spec. The latter are worldwide contaminants of food with mutagenic and carcinogenic activities in animals and humans. AFB1 was shown to have deleterious effects on metabolism of eukaryotes in many model systems, including the ability to inhibit DNA replication. An agent that disturbs DNA replication may also have the potential to induce de novo DNA copy number variations (CNVs).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Blood samples of three clinically healthy carriers were treated in vitro with AFB1 and chromosome preparations were subjected to parental origin determination fluorescence in situ hybridization (pod-FISH). Probes able to visualize CNVs in 8p21.2 and 15q11.2 were applied. In this setting here for the first time an influence of AFB1 on molecular-cytogenetically detectable CNVs could be shown.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The obtained results indicate that: (i) pod-FISH is a single cell directed, sensitive and suitable method for the analysis of mutagen induced CNVs, (ii) AFB1 has the potential to induce in vitro instability of known CNVs in human leukocytes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics and Cytology, Yerevan State University, 1 Alex Manoogian, 0025 Yerevan, Armenia.
authors.forename: Tigran
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Harutyunyan
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics and Cytology, Yerevan State University, 1 Alex Manoogian, 0025 Yerevan, Armenia.
authors.forename: Galina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hovhannisyan
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics and Cytology, Yerevan State University, 1 Alex Manoogian, 0025 Yerevan, Armenia ; Institute of Molecular Biology, National Academy of Sciences, 7 Hasratyan, 0014 Yerevan, Armenia.
authors.forename: Nelly
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Babayan
authors.affiliation: Institute of Human Genetics, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University, Kollegiengasse 10, Jena, D-07743 Germany.
authors.forename: Moneeb Ak
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Othman
authors.affiliation: Institute of Human Genetics, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University, Kollegiengasse 10, Jena, D-07743 Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Liehr
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics and Cytology, Yerevan State University, 1 Alex Manoogian, 0025 Yerevan, Armenia.
authors.forename: Rouben
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aroutiounian
keywords: Aflatoxin B1; Copy number variation; Mycotoxins; Parental origin determination fluorescence in situ hybridization (pod-FISH)