title: Comparative Hepatotoxicity of Aflatoxin B1 among Workers Exposed to Different Organic Dust with Emphasis on Polymorphism Role of Glutathione S-Transferase Gene.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study aimed to investigate effects of organic dust exposure from different sources on aflatoxin B1-albumin adducts (AFB1/Alb), and role of glutathione S-transferase (GST) gene polymorphism in hepatotoxicity of (AFB1) among exposed workers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Liver enzymes, AFB1/Alb, and GST polymorphism were estimated in 132 wheat flour dust and 87 woods sawmill workers, and 156 controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results revealed that AFB1/Alb and liver enzymes were significantly elevated in exposed workers compared to controls, and were significantly higher in sawmill workers compared to flour workers. AFB1/Alb in flour and sawmill workers with GSTT1 and GSTM1&GSTT1 null genotypes were significantly higher than controls, and in sawmill workers with GSTM1&GSTT1 null than flour workers. Liver enzymes (ALT and AST) in sawmill workers were significantly higher than flour workers and controls in all GST polymorphism; except in GSTT1 polymorphism, where these enzymes were significantly higher in the two exposed groups than controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, organic dust exposure may cause elevation in AFB1/Alb and liver enzymes of exposed workers, and GST gene polymorphism plays an important role in susceptibility to hepatic parenchymal cell injury; except in workers with GSTT1&GSTM1 null genotype, gene susceptibility seemed to have little role and the main role was for environmental exposures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental & Occupational Medicine, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Amal
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saad-Hussein
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental & Occupational Medicine, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Eman M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Shahy
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental & Occupational Medicine, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Weam
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Shaheen
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental & Occupational Medicine, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mona M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Taha
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental & Occupational Medicine, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Heba
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mahdy-Abdallah
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental & Occupational Medicine, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Khadiga S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental & Occupational Medicine, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Salwa F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Hafez
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physiology, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Nevein N
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Fadl
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physiology, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Karima A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: El-Shamy
keywords: Aflatoxin B1; GST polymorphism; Liver enzymes; Organic dust