title: Mycotoxins as human carcinogens-the IARC Monographs classification.
abstract: Humans are constantly exposed to mycotoxins (e.g. aflatoxins, ochratoxins), mainly via food intake of plant and animal origin. The health risks stemming from mycotoxins may result from their toxicity, in particular their carcinogenicity. In order to prevent these risks, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in Lyon (France)-through its IARC Monographs programme-has performed the carcinogenic hazard assessment of some mycotoxins in humans, on the basis of epidemiological data, studies of cancer in experimental animals and mechanistic studies. The present article summarizes the carcinogenic hazard assessments of those mycotoxins, especially aflatoxins (aflatoxin B1, B2, G1, G2and M1), fumonisins (fumonisin B1and B2) and ochratoxin A (OTA). New information regarding the genotoxicity of OTA (formation of OTA-DNA adducts), the role of OTA in oxidative stress and the identification of epigenetic factors involved in OTA carcinogenesis-should they indeed provide strong evidence that OTA carcinogenicity is mediated by a mechanism that also operates in humans-could lead to the reclassification of OTA.
authors.affiliation: Center for Health, Nutrition and Food, National Institute of Public Health in Prague, Palackeho 3a, 61242, Brno, Czech Republic. vladimir.ostry@szu.cz.
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ostry
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, University of Hradec Kralove, Rokitanskeho 62, 50003, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Frantisek
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Malir
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, University of Hradec Kralove, Rokitanskeho 62, 50003, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jakub
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Toman
authors.affiliation: International Agency for Research on Cancer, 150 cours Albert Thomas, 69372, Lyon, France.
authors.forename: Yann
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Grosse
mesh_terms: D000348:Aflatoxins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000378:metabolism*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005602:France; D037341:Fumonisins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D009153:Mutagens / Q000378:metabolism*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009793:Ochratoxins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000348:Aflatoxins; D002273:Carcinogens; D037341:Fumonisins; D009153:Mutagens; D009793:Ochratoxins; C025589:ochratoxin A
keywords: Aflatoxins; Carcinogenicity; Fumonisins; IARC; Mycotoxins; Ochratoxin A