ochratoxin a and β2-microglobulin in ben patients and controls赭曲霉毒素a和β2-microglobulin本病人和控制.pdfVIP

Toxins 2010, 2, 780-792; doi:10.3390/toxins2040780 OPEN ACCESS toxins ISSN 2072-6651 /journal/toxins Article Ochratoxin A and β2-Microglobulin in BEN Patients and Controls Pavlina Yordanova 1, Karmaus Wilfried 2,*, Svetla Tsolova 1 and Plamen Dimitrov 1 1 National Center of Public Health Protection, 1431 Sofia, Bulgaria; E-Mails: p.jordanova@ernment.bg (P.Y.); sv.tzolova@ernment.bg (S.T.); p.dimitrov@ernment.bg (P.D.) 2 Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: karmaus@; Tel.: +1 803 777 9814; Fax: +1 803 777 2524. Received: 17 March 2010; in revised form: 14 April 2010 / Accepted: 19 April 2010 / Published: 20 April 2010 Abstract: Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin naturally occurring in different foods. OTA is arguably a risk factor for Balkan endemic nephropathy (BEN). The aims of this study are to (1) test the OTA-BEN association in BEN-groups and controls and (2) determine whether urine β2-microglobulin, a marker of impaired ability of the kidneys to re-absorb, is related to OTA. BEN patients had significantly higher OTA serum levels. Within the offspring, OTA was significantly related to higher β2-microglobulin excretion. OTA (2005/2006) was related to a higher incidence of BEN after 2008, providing further evidence that OTA is a risk factor for BEN. Keywords: BEN; ochratoxin A; β2-microglobulin 1. Introduction Ochrat