Aflatoxin-Related Immune Dysfunction in Health and in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Disease

Abstract

Both aflatoxin and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cause immune suppression and millions of HIV-infected people in developing countries are chronically exposed to aflatoxin in their diets. We investigated the possible interaction of aflatoxin and HIV on immune suppression by comparing immune parameters in 116 HIV positive and 80 aged-matched HIV negative Ghanaians with high (≥0.91 pmol/mg albumin) and low (<0.91 pmol/mg albumin) aflatoxin B1 albumin adduct (AF-ALB) levels. AF-ALB levels and HIV viral load were measured in plasma and the percentages of leukocyte immunophenotypes and cytokine expression were determined using flow cytometry. The cross-sectional comparisons found that (1) among both HIV positive and negative participants, high AF-ALB was associated with lower perforin expression on CD8+ T-cells (P = .012); (2) HIV positive participants with high AF-ALB had significantly lower percentages of CD4+ T regulatory cells (Tregs; P = .009) and naive CD4+ T cells (P = .029) compared to HIV positive participants with low AF-ALB; and (3) HIV positive participants with high AF-ALB had a significantly reduced percentage of B-cells (P = .03) compared to those with low AF-ALB. High AF-ALB appeared to accentuate some HIV associated changes in T-cell phenotypes and in B-cells in HIV positive participants.

Comparison of urinary aflatoxin M1 and aflatoxin albumin adducts as biomarkers for assessing aflatoxin exposure in Tanzanian children

“…Epidemiological studies have demonstrated a correlation between chronic exposure to aflatoxins and increasing risk of primary liver cancer (IARC, 2002). Moreover, chronic exposure to aflatoxin has been linked to child growth impairment (Gong et al, 2002;2004) and immune suppression (Turner et al, 2003;Jiang et al, 2008). …”

Achieving a nutrition revolution for Africa: The road to healthier diets and optimal nutrition

“…Several studies have suggested the potential of aflatoxin to play suppressive roles on the immune function, increasing susceptibility to infectious diseases or reactivating chronic infections, and decreasing vaccine and drug efficacy (Berek et al 2001;Turner et al 2003;Jiang et al 2005Jiang et al , 2008Oswald et al 2005). Specifically, recent studies conducted in Ghana and…”

Phosphorescence Oxygen Analyzer as a Measuring Tool for Cellular Bioenergetics

“…Exposure to aflatoxin B1 has been associated with hepatocellular carcinoma (Montesano et al, 1997), mutagenesis (e.g., in the tumor suppressor gene p53) and immune suppression (Corrier, 1991). Most of the information on immunotoxicity of aflatoxin B1 is derived from animal studies (Stec et al, 2009;Reddy et al, 1987;Reddy et al, 1989;Jiang et al, 2008;reviewed in Williams, et al, 2004]. In healthy humans, exposure to aflatoxin B1 is associated with lower perforin (a cytolytic protein produced by natural killer lymphocytes) expression on CD8+ T-lymphocytes (Jiang et al, 2008).…”

“…Most of the information on immunotoxicity of aflatoxin B1 is derived from animal studies (Stec et al, 2009;Reddy et al, 1987;Reddy et al, 1989;Jiang et al, 2008;reviewed in Williams, et al, 2004]. In healthy humans, exposure to aflatoxin B1 is associated with lower perforin (a cytolytic protein produced by natural killer lymphocytes) expression on CD8+ T-lymphocytes (Jiang et al, 2008). A dose-related decrease in DNA synthesis in lymphocyte cultures (with and without mitogens) is found in mice exposed in vivo to aflatoxin B1 (Reddy et al, 1987).…”