Biomaterial Database

Analysis of UK sera for aflatoxin by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. 1988

A P Wilkinson, and D W Denning, and M R Morgan

AFRC Institute of Food Research, Norwich, UK.

1. Aflatoxins are toxic, carcinogenic secondary fungal metabolites produced by certain moulds that commonly infest foods. Measurement of aflatoxins in human serum would give a direct measurement of exposure. 2. Twenty-seven serum samples from UK blood donors were found to contain aflatoxin levels not greater than 64 pmol/l (20 pg/ml) by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. 3. These findings may indicate that present UK guideline tolerances for aflatoxin in imported food are effective in limiting human exposure to toxic aflatoxins in the UK diet, though further work would be needed to confirm this. In particular, sub-populations suspected of being at higher risk may need special considerations.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D004797	Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay	An immunoassay utilizing an antibody labeled with an enzyme marker such as horseradish peroxidase. While either the enzyme or the antibody is bound to an immunosorbent substrate, they both retain their biologic activity; the change in enzyme activity as a result of the enzyme-antibody-antigen reaction is proportional to the concentration of the antigen and can be measured spectrophotometrically or with the naked eye. Many variations of the method have been developed.	ELISA,Assay, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent,Assays, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent,Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay,Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays,Immunosorbent Assay, Enzyme-Linked,Immunosorbent Assays, Enzyme-Linked
D006113	United Kingdom	Country in northwestern Europe including Great Britain and the northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland, located between the North Sea and north Atlantic Ocean. The capital is London.	Great Britain,Isle of Man
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000348	Aflatoxins	Furano-furano-benzopyrans that are produced by ASPERGILLUS from STERIGMATOCYSTIN. They are structurally related to COUMARINS and easily oxidized to an epoxide form to become ALKYLATING AGENTS. Members of the group include AFLATOXIN B1; aflatoxin B2, aflatoxin G1, aflatoxin G2; AFLATOXIN M1; and aflatoxin M2.	Aflatoxin
D001230	Aspergillus	A genus of mitosporic fungi containing about 100 species and eleven different teleomorphs in the family Trichocomaceae.
D001231	Aspergillus flavus	A species of imperfect fungi which grows on peanuts and other plants and produces the carcinogenic substance aflatoxin. It is also used in the production of the antibiotic flavicin.	Aspergillus parvisclerotigenus,Petromyces flavus
D016604	Aflatoxin B1	A potent hepatotoxic and hepatocarcinogenic mycotoxin produced by the Aspergillus flavus group of fungi. It is also mutagenic, teratogenic, and causes immunosuppression in animals. It is found as a contaminant in peanuts, cottonseed meal, corn, and other grains. The mycotoxin requires epoxidation to aflatoxin B1 2,3-oxide for activation. Microsomal monooxygenases biotransform the toxin to the less toxic metabolites aflatoxin M1 and Q1.	Aflatoxin B(1),Aflatoxin B,Aflatoxin B1 Dihydrochloride, (6aR-cis)-Isomer,Aflatoxin B1, (6aR-cis)-Isomer, 14C-Labeled,Aflatoxin B1, (6aR-cis)-Isomer, 2H-Labeled,Aflatoxin B1, (6aR-cis)-Isomer, 3H-Labeled,Aflatoxin B1, cis(+,-)-Isomer,HSDB-3453,NSC-529592,HSDB 3453,HSDB3453,NSC 529592,NSC529592