Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

W Y Tsai

Publications and source records attributed to W Y Tsai.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Prenatal exposure, maternal sensitization, and sensitization in utero to indoor allergens in an inner-city cohort.

Primary sensitization to antigens may occur prenatally. We hypothesized that high prenatal exposure to indoor antigens increases the risk for sensitization in newborns in New York City populations with increased risk for asthma. We also investigated whether maternal sensitization is required for in utero sensitization to occur. One hundred sixty-seven pregnant African American or Dominican women residing in northern Manhattan were recruited and antigen was measured from home dust. After delivery, newborn cord and maternal blood were assayed for IgE and mononuclear cell proliferation and cytokine production in response to antigen. Cockroach, mouse, but not dust mite antigens, were commonly elevated in the kitchens and pregnant mothers' beds. Increased mononuclear cell proliferation occurred in 54% of newborns in response to cockroach, 25% in response to dust mite Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, 40% in response to dust mite D. farinae, and 34% in response to mouse protein extracts. Antigen-induced mononuclear cell proliferation occurred in cord blood even in the absence of antigen-induced mononuclear cell proliferation in the mother. Proliferation in response to antigens did not correlate with IgE levels, but proliferation in response to dust mite extracts correlated with interluekin-5 (IL-5) production in cord blood. These results suggest that (1) high prenatal exposures to cockroach and mouse antigens are prevalent; (2) in utero sensitization to multiple indoor antigens is common, occurs to a different degree than maternal sensitization, and may involve IL-5 upregulation.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Association between carcinogen-DNA adducts in white blood cells and lung cancer risk in the physicians health study.

In this matched case-control study nested within the prospective Physicians' Health Study, we evaluated whether DNA damage in blood samples collected at enrollment significantly predicted risk, consistent with our hypothesis that cases have greater biological susceptibility to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and other aromatic tobacco carcinogens. The subjects were 89 cases of primary lung cancer and 173 controls, all males, matched on smoking, age, and duration of follow-up. Aromatic-DNA adducts were measured in WBCs by the nuclease P1-enhanced (32)P-postlabeling method that primarily detects smoking-related adducts. Among current smokers, but not former or nonsmokers, there was a significant increase in mean adduct levels of cases compared with controls (11.04 versus 5.63; P = 0.03). "Healthy" current smokers who had elevated levels of aromatic DNA adducts in WBCs were approximately three times more likely to be diagnosed with lung cancer 1-13 years later than current smokers with lower adduct concentrations (odds ratio, 2.98; 95% confidence interval, 1.05-8.42; P = 0.04). We were not able to discern case-control differences in former smokers and nonsmokers. The findings are of interest because they suggest that individuals who become cases have greater biological susceptibility to tobacco carcinogens, a biological difference, which manifests most clearly while exposure is ongoing.

Carcinogens↗
PubMed2001

Transplantation of embryonic dopamine neurons for severe Parkinson's disease.

BACKGROUND: Transplantation of human embryonic dopamine neurons into the brains of patients with Parkinson's disease has proved beneficial in open clinical trials. However, whether this intervention would be more effective than sham surgery in a controlled trial is not known. METHODS: We randomly assigned 40 patients who were 34 to 75 years of age and had severe Parkinson's disease (mean duration, 14 years) to receive a transplant of nerve cells or sham surgery; all were to be followed in a double-blind manner for one year. In the transplant recipients, cultured mesencephalic tissue from four embryos was implanted into the putamen bilaterally. In the patients who received sham surgery, holes were drilled in the skull but the dura was not penetrated. The primary outcome was a subjective global rating of the change in the severity of disease, scored on a scale of -3.0 to 3.0 at one year, with negative scores indicating a worsening of symptoms and positive scores an improvement. RESULTS: The mean (+/-SD) scores on the global rating scale for improvement or deterioration at one year were 0.0+/-2.1 in the transplantation group and -0.4+/-1.7 in the sham-surgery group. Among younger patients (60 years old or younger), standardized tests of Parkinson's disease revealed significant improvement in the transplantation group as compared with the sham-surgery group when patients were tested in the morning before receiving medication (P=0.01 for scores on the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale; P=0.006 for the Schwab and England score). There was no significant improvement in older patients in the transplantation group. Fiber outgrowth from the transplanted neurons was detected in 17 of the 20 patients in the transplantation group, as indicated by an increase in 18F-fluorodopa uptake on positron-emission tomography or postmortem examination. After improvement in the first year, dystonia and dyskinesias recurred in 15 percent of the patients who received transplants, even after reduction or discontinuation of the dose of levodopa. CONCLUSIONS: Human embryonic dopamine-neuron transplants survive in patients with severe Parkinson's disease and result in some clinical benefit in younger but not in older patients.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Method of feeding and transmission of HIV-1 from mothers to children by 15 months of age: prospective cohort study from Durban, South Africa.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the risk of HIV transmission by infant feeding modality. DESIGN AND SETTING: A prospective study in two hospitals in Durban, South Africa. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 551 HIV-infected pregnant women enrolled in a randomized trial of vitamin A. INTERVENTIONS: Women self-selected to breastfeed or formula feed after being counselled. Breastfeeders were encouraged to practice exclusive breastfeeding for 3-6 months. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Cumulative probabilities of detecting HIV over time were estimated using Kaplan-Meier methods and were compared in three groups: 157 formula-fed (never breastfed); 118 exclusively breastfed for 3 months or more; and 276 mixed breastfed. RESULTS: The three feeding groups did not differ in any risk factors for transmission, and the probability of detecting HIV at birth was similar. Cumulative probabilities of HIV detection remained similar among never and exclusive breastfeeders up to 6 months: 0.194 (95% CI 0.136-0.260) and 0.194 (95% CI 0.125-0.274), respectively, whereas the probabilities among mixed breastfeeders soon surpassed both groups reaching 0.261 (95% CI 0.205-0.319) by 6 months. By 15 months, the cumulative probability of HIV infection remained lower among those who exclusively breastfed for 3 months or more than among other breastfeeders (0.247 versus 0.359). CONCLUSION: Infants exclusively breastfed for 3 months or more had no excess risk of HIV infection over 6 months than those never breastfed. These findings, if confirmed elsewhere, can influence public health policies on feeding choices available to HIV-infected mothers in developing countries.

Breast Feeding↗
PubMed2001

Identification and characterization of two novel components of the Prp19p-associated complex, Ntc30p and Ntc20p.

The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae Prp19p protein is an essential splicing factor and a spliceosomal component. It is not tightly associated with small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs) but is associated with a protein complex consisting of at least eight proteins. We have identified two novel components of the Prp19p-associated complex, Ntc30p and Ntc20p. Like other identified components of the complex, both Ntc30p and Ntc20p are associated with the spliceosome in the same manner as Prp19p immediately after or concurrently with dissociation of U4, indicating that the entire complex may bind to the spliceosome as an intact form. Neither Ntc30p nor Ntc20p directly interacts with Prp19p, but both interact with another component of the complex, Ntc85p. Immunoprecipitation analysis revealed an ordered interactions of these components in formation of the Prp19p-associated complex. Although null mutants of NTC30 or NTC20 showed no obvious growth phenotype, deletion of both genes impaired yeast growth resulting in accumulation of precursor mRNA. Extracts prepared from such a strain were defective in pre-mRNA splicing in vitro, but the splicing activity could be restored upon addition of the purified Prp19p-associated complex. These results indicate that Ntc30p and Ntc20p are auxiliary splicing factors the functions of which may be modulating the function of the Prp19p-associated complex.

Antibodies↗
PubMed2001

Major complications of operative and diagnostic laparoscopy for gynecologic disease.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To compare complication rates of diagnostic and operative laparoscopy. Design. Retrospective study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). SETTING: One medical center and three teaching hospitals. PATIENTS: Six thousand four hundred fifty-one women with various indications for laparoscopic diagnosis and/or laparoscopic surgery from January 1994 through June 1999. INTERVENTION: Diagnostic and operative laparoscopies. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Forty-two major complications occurred that directly resulted in one death. One patient had stomach injury, 3 had major vessel injuries, 5 had ureter injuries, 10 had intestinal injuries, and 23 had bladder injuries. The overall complication rate for all laparoscopies was 0.65% (42/6451); however, it rose to 0.80% (39/4865) for operative laparoscopy compared with 0.19% for diagnostic laparoscopy (3/1586; p <0.001, Fisher's exact test). CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic surgery is appropriate for managing various gynecologic diseases and has an acceptable complication rate. However, operative laparoscopy should be performed carefully because its rate of complications is significantly higher than that of diagnostic laparoscopy, especially for laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy. (J Am Assoc Gynecol Laparosc 8(1):68-73, 2001)

Catheterization↗
PubMed2001

An epidemiological study of nocturnal enuresis in Taiwanese children.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of primary nocturnal enuresis (PNE) in Taiwanese children, and to examine factors associated with PNE and its severity. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: In all, 1683 questionnaires were sent to parents of schoolchildren aged 6-11 years randomly selected from three primary schools in Taipei City, Taiwan. The questionnaire was designed to collect information about the prevalence of and factors associated with PNE. RESULTS: Of the questionnaires distributed, 1176 (70%) were completed. PNE was reported in 92 (8%) of the children; nine (10%) of these children were wet > 3 nights per week. Factors associated with PNE included male gender, deep sleep, divorced parents or separated family and a positive family history of enuresis. Of these factors, only those children with deep sleep were more likely to have > 3 wet nights per week. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of and factors associated with PNE in Taiwan are similar to those reported in Western countries, but the percentage of children with severe enuresis is lower than in Sweden, France and Turkey. Deep sleepers are more likely to have severe enuresis.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed2001

Excision of mature teratoma using culdotomy, with and without laparoscopy: a prospective randomised trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the results of removing mature teratoma with laparoscopy or without laparoscopy. DESIGN: A prospective, randomised trial. SETTING: Medical centre. PARTICIPANTS: Seventy-nine women with mature teratomas identified using results of ultrasound examinations and biochemical markers. INTERVENTION: Cystectomy with laparoscopic approach or without laparoscopic approach through a culdotomy. METHODS: Patients were randomly assigned to have their cysts removed via vaginal cystectomy without laparoscopy (n = 37, Group A) or laparoscopic cystectomy via culdotomy opening (n = 42, Group B). Inclusion criteria were history of vaginal delivery, no previous abdominal surgery, no history of pelvic inflammatory disease, no medical illness, and no presenting symptoms. Eight women randomised to Group A withdrew before surgery. The laparoscopically resected tumours were each put into a cellulose bag, and tumours without laparoscopic-assistance were removed directly via the vagina. RESULTS: Blood loss in Group A (88 +/- 37 ml) was significantly more than that in Group B (64 +/- 20 ml, P = 0.000). The post-operative recovery times were 20 and 17 hours, respectively (P = 0.030). The rates of successful surgery were 58.6 and 97.6%, respectively (P = 0.002). The spillage rates were 44.8% and 19.0%, respectively (P = 0.006). There were no significant differences in tumour size, patient age, and operative time between groups. CONCLUSION: Cystectomy without assistance of laparoscopy could be applied to manage mature teratoma of the ovary; however, because of the difficulty of this technique, we had high percentages of tumour spillage and more blood loss during operation and a high percentage of patients who required conversion to laparotomy compared with laparoscopic cystectomy. We favoured laparoscopically assisted cystectomy to manage mature teratoma.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Variability in aflatoxin-albumin adduct levels and effects of hepatitis B and C virus infection and glutathione S-transferase M1 and T1 genotype.

Exposure to aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), an important cofactor in the etiology of hepatocellular carcinoma in Taiwan, is influenced by dietary and other factors. The present study examined the intraindividual variability in AFB1-albumin adducts, the most reliable long-term biomarker of AFB1 exposure, and whether the baseline or follow-up adduct levels and the intraindividual variability in adduct levels are modified by endogenous and environmental factors. The study measured AFB1-albumin adduct levels among 264 healthy male residents of three townships (Hu-Hsi, Ma-Kung, and Pai-Hsa) of Penghu Islets, Taiwan, at two different time points with a median interval of 1.68 years (range 1.00-3.17 years). There was a generalized reduction in the adduct levels, with the median values being 22.1 pmol/mg (range 5.0-355.8 pmol/mg) at time 1 and 14.3 pmol/mg (range 5.0-205.2 pmol/mg) at time 2. This intraindividual variability in adduct levels was inversely associated with the age of subjects and the time interval between the two blood draws. The variability in adduct levels was lower among subjects in Hu-Hsi and Pai-Hsa townships as compared to those in Ma-Kung. No significant association was observed for the intraindividual variability in AFB1-albumin adducts with regard to the season when blood was drawn. There was also no significant association between intraindividual variability and hepatitis B surface antigen, anti-hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV), glutathione S-transferase (GST) M1, or GSTT1 status. In conclusion, we found substantial intraindividual variability in the AFB1 exposure (as determined by AFB1-albumin adducts) in Taiwan, which was probably more likely related to dietary or other environmental influences rather than to endogenous factors (e.g., hepatitis B/C viral infection or GST M1/T1 genetic status).

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Intellectual outcome of patients with congenital hypothyroidism detected by neonatal screening.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Mental retardation is a major sequela of delayed treatment for congenital hypothyroidism; congenital hypothyroidism can be treated early if detected with neonatal screening. We evaluated the intellectual outcomes of 62 patients with congenital hypothyroidism detected by neonatal screening at a major teaching hospital in northern Taiwan. The effects of thyroid pathology, age at the initiation of treatment, socioeconomic status, and severity of hypothyroidism on intellectual outcome were also analyzed. METHODS: All patients had euthyroid status at the time of intelligence testing. The Chinese Fourth Revision of the Binet-Simon Scales was used to evaluate the patients' intelligence between the ages of 3 and 6 years. RESULTS: The mean intelligence quotient (IQ) score was 102 +/- 18. Only four of the 62 patients were mentally retarded. Patients with lower initial serum thyroxine concentrations (T4; < 2 micrograms/dL) at the time of diagnosis of congenital hypothyroidism had significantly lower IQs (95 +/- 19, n = 26) than those with higher initial T4 concentrations (106 +/- 16, n = 36; p < 0.05). Patients with fewer than three ossification centers had lower IQs (91 +/- 20, n = 12) than those with three or more (104 +/- 17, n = 36; p < 0.05). Significantly lower IQs were also found in patients with a smaller femoral epiphysis area (< 0.1 cm2) (92 +/- 20, n = 15) than in those with larger epiphyses (106 +/- 15, n = 21; p < 0.05). The type of pathology (ectopia, athyrosis, dyshormonogenesis), age at the start of treatment (before or after 30 days of age), and socioeconomic status did not significantly affect the intellectual outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that intellectual outcome in Taiwanese patients with congenital hypothyroidism has been improved by neonatal screening and that the severity of hypothyroidism at diagnosis is the most important prognostic factor affecting intellectual outcome in these patients.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2001

Paraganglioma manifesting as shock: a case report.

Paraganglioma is a rare neuroendocrine tumor in children that rarely manifests as shock. We describe the case of a 12-year-old girl with paraganglioma who developed impaired cardiac function, pulmonary edema, and shock at the time of admission. Her blood pressure stabilized after intravenous normal saline rescue and dopamine treatment. However, hypertension was noted thereafter. After a series of examinations, paraganglioma was diagnosed and excision of the tumor was performed. After surgery, blood pressure stabilized and her cardiac function had fully recovered at 4 months' follow-up.

Child↗
PubMed2001

Biomarkers of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-DNA damage and cigarette smoke exposures in paired maternal and newborn blood samples as a measure of differential susceptibility.

Human and experimental evidence indicates that the developing fetus may be more susceptible than the adult to the effects of certain carcinogens, including some polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Factors that can modulate susceptibility include proliferation rates, detoxification capabilities, and DNA repair capacity. Biomarkers can facilitate quantification of age-related susceptibility among human populations. In this study, we report on three biomarkers measured in paired blood samples collected at birth from 160 Polish mothers and newborns: 70 pairs from Krakow (a city with high air pollution including PAHs) and 90 pairs from Limanowa (an area with lower ambient pollution but greater indoor coal use). Biomarkers were: WBC aromatic-DNA adducts by (32)P-postlabeling and PAH-DNA adducts by ELISA (as indicators of DNA damage from PAHs and other aromatics) and plasma cotinine (as an internal dosimeter of cigarette smoke). Correlations were assessed by Spearman's rank test, and differences in biomarker levels were assessed by the Wilcoxon signed-ranks test. A significant correlation between paired newborn/maternal samples was seen for aromatic-DNA adduct levels (r = 0.3; P < 0.001) and plasma cotinine (r = 0.8; P < 0.001) but not PAH-DNA adduct levels (r = 0.14; P = 0.13). Among the total cohort, levels of the three biomarkers were higher in newborn samples compared with paired maternal samples. The difference was significant for aromatic-DNA adduct levels (16.6 +/- 12.5 versus 14.21 +/- 15.4/10(8) nucleotides; P = 0.002) and plasma cotinine (14.2 +/- 35.5 versus 8.3 +/- 24.5 ng/ml; P < 0.001) but not for PAH-DNA adduct levels (7.9 +/- 9.9 versus 5.9 +/- 8.2/10(8) nucleotides; P = 0.13). When analyses were restricted to the 80 mother/newborn pairs from whom the blood sample was drawn concurrently (within 1 h of each other), levels of all of the three biomarkers were significantly higher in the newborn compared with paired maternal blood samples (P < 0.05). Results suggest reduced detoxification capabilities and increased susceptibility of the fetus to DNA damage, especially in light of experimental evidence that transplacental exposures to PAHs are 10-fold lower than paired maternal exposures. The results have implications for risk assessment, which currently does not adequately account for sensitive subsets of the population.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Association of aflatoxin B(1)-albumin adduct levels with hepatitis B surface antigen status among adolescents in Taiwan.

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and aflatoxin B(1) (AFB(1)) exposure interact synergetically to induce hepatocellular carcinoma. One suggested mechanism for this interaction is the enhanced activation of AFB(1) in chronically HBV-infected individuals. Whereas no associations between chronic HBV infection and AFB(1)-albumin adducts were observed in several studies in adults, hepatitis B surface antigen (HbsAg)-positive children were found to have elevated adducts in Gambia. To assess the association between chronic HBV infection and AFB(1)-albumin adduct level in Taiwan, 200 junior high school adolescents from 20 townships were assayed for HBsAg and AFB(1)-albumin adducts. The mean AFB(1)-albumin adduct level was higher in HBsAg-positive compared with HBsAg-negative subjects. The association between HBsAg status and AFB(1)-albumin adducts remained after multivariate adjustment. This finding additionally supports the synergetic interaction between HBV and AFB(1), but the mechanism remains to be elucidated.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Primary care outcomes in patients treated by nurse practitioners or physicians: a randomized trial.

CONTEXT: Studies have suggested that the quality of primary care delivered by nurse practitioners is equal to that of physicians. However, these studies did not measure nurse practitioner practices that had the same degree of independence as the comparison physician practices, nor did previous studies provide direct comparison of outcomes for patients with nurse practitioner or physician providers. OBJECTIVE: To compare outcomes for patients randomly assigned to nurse practitioners or physicians for primary care follow-up and ongoing care after an emergency department or urgent care visit. DESIGN: Randomized trial conducted between August 1995 and October 1997, with patient interviews at 6 months after initial appointment and health services utilization data recorded at 6 months and 1 year after initial appointment. SETTING: Four community-based primary care clinics (17 physicians) and 1 primary care clinic (7 nurse practitioners) at an urban academic medical center. PATIENTS: Of 3397 adults originally screened, 1316 patients (mean age, 45.9 years; 76.8% female; 90.3% Hispanic) who had no regular source of care and kept their initial primary care appointment were enrolled and randomized with either a nurse practitioner (n = 806) or physician (n = 510). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Patient satisfaction after initial appointment (based on 15-item questionnaire); health status (Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form 36), satisfaction, and physiologic test results 6 months later; and service utilization (obtained from computer records) for 1 year after initial appointment, compared by type of provider. RESULTS: No significant differences were found in patients' health status (nurse practitioners vs physicians) at 6 months (P = .92). Physiologic test results for patients with diabetes (P = .82) or asthma (P = .77) were not different. For patients with hypertension, the diastolic value was statistically significantly lower for nurse practitioner patients (82 vs 85 mm Hg; P = .04). No significant differences were found in health services utilization after either 6 months or 1 year. There were no differences in satisfaction ratings following the initial appointment (P = .88 for overall satisfaction). Satisfaction ratings at 6 months differed for 1 of 4 dimensions measured (provider attributes), with physicians rated higher (4.2 vs 4.1 on a scale where 5 = excellent; P = .05). CONCLUSIONS: In an ambulatory care situation in which patients were randomly assigned to either nurse practitioners or physicians, and where nurse practitioners had the same authority, responsibilities, productivity and administrative requirements, and patient population as primary care physicians, patients' outcomes were comparable.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Mitochondrial cytopathy combined with Fanconi's syndrome.

Severe muscle weakness in Fanconi's syndrome is rarely the result of mitochondrial cytopathy. We describe a rare case of a 9-year-old male with early onset of Fanconi's syndrome. He developed severe proximal muscle weakness exacerbated by hypokalemia and hypophosphatemia in childhood. The muscle biopsy revealed increased accumulation of abnormal mitochondria and fat droplets in histochemical stains and electron microscopy. Mitochondrial cytopathy cannot be excluded in Fanconi's syndrome with late onset of muscular impairment. Long-term follow-up of his clinical course is suggested to understand the natural history of this unusual case.

Acidosis, Renal Tubular↗
PubMed2000

BRCA1 mutations in Taiwanese with epithelial ovarian carcinoma and sporadic primary serous peritoneal carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Germline BRCA1 mutations of sporadic ovarian cancers are presumed to be rare events, except among specific populations. To date, the status of germline BRCA1 mutations in Taiwanese with primary epithelial ovarian carcinoma (PEOC) is still unknown. In this study, we tried to answer part of this question. METHODS: Sixty-four patients documented with PEOC, four patients with family history of breast and/or ovary cancer syndrome and five patients with sporadic primary serous peritoneal carcinoma (PSPC) were enrolled in this retrospective study from January 1994 through June 1999. At the same time, 50 normal healthy Taiwanese without family history were enrolled in this study. Germline DNA from these patients was screened for mutations in the BRCA1 gene using polymerase chain reaction-based single-stranded conformation polymorphism analysis (PCR-SSCP). Shifting DNA bands were sequenced. RESULTS: One of the 64 patients with PEOC (1.6%) exhibited germline BRCA1 heterozygous mutation which was exon11 single-base substitution at nucleotide1047 (CAG to TAG). One of the five patients with PSPC (20%) exhibited an exon11 single-base substitution at nucleotide 914 (TCT to TCC) with resultant silent mutation. One of the normal healthy Taiwanese (2%) was found to have an exon 2 single-base substitution at nucleotide 152 (A-->C) which was also a silent mutation. No mutations of BRCA1 were detected in four patients with a family history of breast and/or ovarian cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Based on this study, it was very difficult to obtain precise data to prove the value of applying genetic testing of BRCA1 mutations in Taiwanese patients with sporadic epithelial ovarian cancers or sporadic PSPC and even with a family history of breast and/or ovarian cancer because of its rare event and because of the too small number of cases available in this study.

Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous↗
PubMed2000

Associations of plasma aflatoxin B1-albumin adduct level with plasma selenium level and genetic polymorphisms of glutathione S-transferase M1 and T1.

Mortality from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is extraordinarily high in Matzu, an island off the coast of Southeastern China. To investigate factors associated with plasma aflatoxin B1 (AFB1)-albumin adduct level, we studied 304 healthy adult residents from Matzu. AFB1-albumin adducts were determined by competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, hepatitis B surface antigen status by enzyme immunoassay, genotypes of glutathione S-transferase (GST) M1 and T1 by polymerase chain reaction, plasma selenium by atomic absorption spectrometry, and plasma retinol, alpha-tocopherol, alpha-carotene, and beta-carotene levels by high-performance liquid chromatography. Men had higher AFB1-albumin adduct levels than women. GSTM1-nonnull and GSTT1-null genotypes and low plasma selenium level were significantly associated with an increased level of AFB1-albumin adducts among men, whereas age was significantly correlated with adduct level among women. High intake of fermented beans was associated with an increased adduct level among men and women. The inverse associations between plasma selenium level and AFB1-albumin adducts were statistically significant among those with null genotypes of GSTM1 and GSTT1, but not among the nonnull genotypes. This study provides insight into the dietary and genetic factors influencing AFB1-albumin adduct formation in an isolated population with high liver cancer mortality.

Adult↗