Mycotoxins Balkan nephropathy

Ochratoxin, citrinin Contaminant (mycotoxin) Produced by Penicillium strains nephropathy (endemic Balkan nephropathy)... 

T Petkova-Bocharova, M Castegnaro, J Michelon, V Mara. Ochratoxin A and other mycotoxins in cereals from an area of Balkan endemic nephropathy and urinary tract tumors in Bulgaria. In M Castegnaro, R Plestina, G Dirheimer, IN Chernozemskj, H Bartsch, eds. Mycotoxins, Endemic Nephropathy and Urinary Tract Tumors. Lyon IARC Scientific Publications, 1991, pp 83-87. 

Association of ochratoxin A with chronic interstitial nephropathy in Tunisia [41] and its relation to renal tumors [42] provides additional support for the idea of the etiological role of this mycotoxin. Other fungal toxins, as zerealenone, citrinin [43] and aflatoxin were also isolated in endemic foci. Experimental models suggested that a combination of mycotoxins, rather than a single one, might be involved in the etiology of Balkan nephropathy [44]. 

Balkan nephropathy is non-destructive and noninflammatory tubulointerstitial renal disease [69]. The changes are non-specific and in the chronic, sclerotic phase they may be quite similar to changes observed in other chronic interstitial diseases such as analgesic nephropathy [70], vascular nephrosclerosis [69] cyclosporine-induced nephropathy [71], radiation nephritis [72,73] and aging [72], intoxication with silicate, cadmium, lead, uranium [74], mycotoxin ochratoxin... 

Mycotoxins The mycotoxins are secondary products of fungal metabolism. Numerous mycotoxins have been identified as toxicants in humans and/or animal models with several organ systems, including the kidney, being targets for these fungal products. Perhaps the two mycotoxins that have received the most attention as nephrotoxicants are citrinin and ochratoxin A. These two mycotoxins have received particular interest due to their possible role in endemic Balkan nephropathy. 

Pfohl-Leszkowicz A, Petkova-Bocharova T, Chernozemsky IN and Castegnaro M (2002), Balkan endemic nephropathy and associated urinary tract tumours a review on aetiological causes and the potential role of mycotoxins , Food Add. Contam., 19, 282-302. 

Manolova Y, Manolov G, Parvanova L, Petkova-Bocharova T, Castegnaro M, Chernozemsky IN. Induction of characteristic chromosomal aberrations, particularly X-trisomy, in cultured human lymphocytes treated by ochratoxin A, a mycotoxin implicated in Balkan endemic nephropathy. Mutat. Res. 1990 231 (2) 143-9. 

Ochratoxins (Table 6.2, Figure 6.4) are another important group of mycotoxins mainly produced by Aspergillus ochraceus, or in some instances by Penicillium ver-rucosum. Ochratoxicosis produces the Balkan endemic nephropathy first described in Bulgaria. Chemically, ochratoxins are isocoumarin derivatives bound to phenylalanine. The most common and relevant is ochratoxin A or OTA. Most ochratoxicosis is related to field-contaminated maize dne to excess rainfall before harvesting or... 

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