Thursday, October 22, 2009
Scientists from University of California have acknowledged a protein that triggers the deadly food toxin found in fungi on nuts and grains, which if consumed in large quantities can cause liver cancer.Because of lax or nonexistent regulation, large numbers of people in developing countries are chronically exposed to immense amounts of toxin, called aflatoxin.It can colonize and pollute nuts and grains before harvest or during storage.The combination of aflatoxin and hepatitis B virus exposure increases the likelihood of liver cancer occurrence by 60 times.
The contaminant destroys cancer-preventing gene in humans called p53. Without p53 protecting the body, aflatoxin can compromise immunity, interfere with metabolism, and cause severe malnutrition and cancer.
Lead investigator Sheryl Tsai found a protein called PT, which is crucial for aflatoxin to form in fungi."The protein PT is the key to making the poison".Presently, destroying the mold rather than just the PT is the method of decontamination, however it's expensive.
"This finding will guide to an increased understanding of how aflatoxin causes liver cancer in humans," said Dr. Frank Meyskens.
"It should allow for the improvement of inhibitors and, hopefully, a new chemoprevention approach to this deadly cancer,"
posted by emedinfo
@2:07 AM
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