Exposure assessment of aflatoxins and zearalenone in edible vegetable oils in Shandong, China: health risks posed by mycotoxin immunotoxicity and reproductive toxicity in children.

Human exposure to aflatoxins (AFs) and zearalenone (ZEA) has not been sufficiently investigated. Here, we analyzed the exposure level and health risks posed by AFs (B1, B2, G1, G2) and ZEA through cooking oil consumption in Shandong, China. The individual daily consumption of cooking oil was calculated through 2745 questionnaires during 2017-2019. The average contamination levels of mycotoxins were estimated by examining 60 cooking oil samples. For the peanut oil, AFs ranged from <0.2 to 274 µg/kg, with a positive rate of 66.6% (20/30). Average levels of 36.62 µg/kg AFB1 and 44.43 µg/kg total AFs were found. Over-the-limit level (20 µg/kg) of AFB1 was detected in 8/30 samples. Estimated daily intake (EDI) and margin of exposure (MOE) for age-stratified population groups showed that children are facing highest adverse health risk with AFB1 (MOE 5.88-6.39). The liver cancer incidences attributable to AFB1 exposure are non-negligible as 0.896, 0.825, and 0.767 cases per 100,000 for 6-14 age group, 15-17 age group, and adult labor-intensive workers. Over-the-limit level (60 µg/kg) ZEA contamination was detected in 25/30 corn oil samples with a 50th percentile value of 97.95 µg/kg. Our health risk assessment suggested significant health risks of enterohepatic (inflammation and cancer), reproductive, and endocrine systems posed by AFs and ZEA. However, the health risk of immunotoxicity is unclear because currently animal study data are not available for the immunotoxicity induced after long-term exposure. In general, the health risks posed by mycotoxins are non-negligible and long-term mycotoxin surveillance is necessary.

Mechanistic basis and preliminary practice of butyric acid and butyrate sodium to mitigate gut inflammatory diseases: a comprehensive review.

A key event featured in the early stage of chronic gut inflammatory diseases is the disordered recruitment and excess accumulation of immune cells in the gut lamina propria. This process is followed by the over-secretion of pro-inflammatory factors and the prolonged overactive inflammatory responses. Growing evidence has suggested that gut inflammatory diseases may be mitigated by butyric acid (BA) or butyrate sodium (NaB). Laboratory studies show that BA and NaB can enhance gut innate immune function through G-protein-mediated signaling pathways while mitigating the overactive inflammatory responses by inhibiting histone deacetylase. The regulatory effects may occur in both epithelial enterocytes and the immune cells in the lamina propria. Prior to further clinical trials, comprehensive literature reviews and rigid examination concerning the underlying mechanism are necessary. To this end, we collected and reviewed 197 published reports regarding the mechanisms, bioactivities, and clinical effects of BA and NaB to modulate gut inflammatory diseases. Our review found insufficient evidence to guarantee the safety of clinical practice of BA and NaB, either by anal enema or oral administration of capsule or tablet. The safety of clinical use of BA and NaB should be further evaluated. Alternatively, dietary patterns rich in "fruits, vegetables and beans" may be an effective and safe approach to prevent gut inflammatory disease, which elevates gut microbiota-dependent production of BA. Our review provides a comprehensive reference to future clinical trials of BA and NaB to treat gut inflammatory diseases.

[Protection of oxymatrine against ischemia-reperfusion injury of liver and mechanism thereof: experiment with rats].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of oxymatrine on protecting the liver against ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) and explore the mechanism thereof. METHODS: Thirty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 equal groups: IRI group (2 ml normal saline was injected into the dorsal vein of penis, 30 min later laparotomy was performed, arterial clamp was used to grip the hepatic artery and portal vein for 30 minutes and then removed, the vessels were reperfused for 90 min, and 4 ml blood was collected from the aorta; parts of the liver were resected); oxymatrine group (oxymatrine 40 mg/kg was injected into the dorsal vein of penis, and the other procedures were the same as in the IRI group); and sham operation group (2 ml normal saline was injected into the dorsal vein of penis, laparotomy was performed, 150 min after the injection 4 ml blood was collected from the aorta and parts of the liver were resected). The levels of alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) were detected. The liver tissues underwent HE staining and TUNEL staining for pathological examination. Suspension of single hepatocytes was prepared to observe the ratio of apoptotic cells and cell cycles by flow cytometry (FCM). Western blotting was used to examine the Fas protein expression. RESULTS: The AST and ALT levels of the IRI group were 1326 U/L +/- 211 U/L and 768 U/L +/- 175 U/L respectively, significantly higher than those of the sham operation group (112 U/L +/- 53 U/L and 55 U/L +/- 17 U/L, both P < 0.05) and those of the oxymatrine group (513 U/L +/- 96 U/L and 352 U/L +/- 72 U/L respectively, both P < 0.01). The liver cells of the sham operation group were normal, those of the IRI group showed remarkable edema and cytoplasm degeneration. TUNEL staining showed remarkably more apoptotic cells in the IRI group. FCM showed that the apoptotic rate of hepatocytes was 42.8% +/- 5.2% in the IRI group, significantly higher than in the oxymatrine group (8.8% +/- 1.8%, P < 0.01), and that the ratio of hepatocytes in G(0)/G(1) stage of the IRI group was 99.2% +/- 1.8%, significantly higher than that of the sham operation group (77.0% +/- 2.1%), and that of the oxymatrine group (87.6% +/- 2.8%) (both P < 0.05); the ratio of hepatocytes in the S stage of the IRI group was 0.52% +/- 0.25%, significantly lower than those of the sham operation group (23.94% +/- 1.84%) and oxymatrine group (12.42% +/- 0.46%) (both P < 0.01). The Fas protein expression was significantly highly in the IRI group than in the oxymatrine group. CONCLUSION: Remarkably reducing the IRI of hepatocytes, oxymatrine has potential to protect the liver against IRI during surgical intervention.