Abstract
The etiology of Balkan endemic nephropathy, a kidney disease encountered among the rural population living in regions along several big rivers on the Balkan Peninsula, remains unknown in spite of many hypotheses put forward and tested. One hypothesis involves mycotoxins as the causal agent. The mycotoxin ochratoxin A has been demonstrated to have a potent nephrotoxic effect in all mammalian species tested so far.
The results of analysis of ochratoxin A in human blood samples by an analytical method based on the measurement of fluorescence spectra, before and after incubation with carboxypeptidase A, is described. For a 2-g-sample the detection limit of the method is 1–2 ng/g serum. High performance liquid chromatography used for the confirmation of ochratoxin A identity by means of several derivatives of the molecule is also described. Out of more than 600 samples collected in an endemic region in Yugoslavia about 7% were positive for ochratoxin A. The highest concentration found was 40 ng ochratoxin A/g serum.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Barnes JM (1967) General discussion. In: Wolstenholme GEW, Knight J (eds) The Balkan Nephropathy, Ciba Foundation. Churchill, London, pp 100–120
Bernt WO, Hayes AW (1979) In vivo and in vitro changes in renal function caused by ochratoxin A in the rat. Toxicology 12: 5–17
Chu FS (1971) Interaction of ochratoxin A with bovine serum albumin. Arch Biochem Biophys 147: 359–366
Chu FS (1974) Studies on ochratoxins. CRC Crit Rev Toxicol 2: 499–524
Čeović S, Radonić M, Hrabar A, Radošević Z, Bobinac E, Pleština R, Habazin-Novak V (1979) Endemic nephropathy in Brodska Posavina — in a twenty-year period. In: Strahinjić S, Stefanović V (eds) Endemic (Balkan) Nephropathy, Proceedings of the 4th symposium on Endemic Nephropathy. Institute of Nephrology, Niš, pp 223–277
Hrabar A, Šuljaga K, Borčić B, Aleraj B, Čeović S, Čvoriščec D (1976) Morbiditet i mortalitet od endemske nefropatije u selu Kaniži. Arh hig rada toksikol 27: 137–145
Hult K, Hökby E, Hägglund U, Gatenbeck S, Rutqvist L, Sellyey G (1979) Ochratoxin A in pig blood: Method of analysis and use as a tool for feed studies. Appl Environ Microbiol 38: 772–776
Hult K, Hökby E, Gatenbeck S, Rutqvist L (1980) Ochratoxin A in blood from slaughter pigs in Sweden: Use in evaluation of toxin content of consumed feed. Appl Environ Microbiol 39: 828–830
Hunt DC, McConnie BR, Crosby NT (1980) Confirmation of ochratoxin A by chemical derivatisation and highperformance liquid chromatography. Analyst 105: 89–90
Josefsson E, Möller T (1979) High pressure liquid chromatography determination of ochratoxin A and zearalenone in cereals. J Assoc Off Anal Chem 62: 1165–1168
Krogh P (1974) Mycotoxic porcine nephropathy — a possible model for Balkan (endemic) nephropathy. In: Puchlev A (ed) Endemic Nephropathy. Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, pp 266–270
Krogh P (1976) Mycotoxic nephropathy. In: Advances in Veterinary Science and Comparative Medicine, vol 20. Academic Pres, New York London, pp 147–170
Krogh P (1978) Mycotoxic nephropathy in swine. In: Wyllie TD, Morehouse LG (eds) Mycotoxic fungi, mycotoxins, mycotoxicoses. An encyclopedic handbook vol 2. Marcel Dekker, New York, pp 236–256
Krogh P, Hald B, Pleština R, Čeović S (1977) Balkan (endemic) nephropathy and foodborn ochratoxin A: Preliminary results of survey of foodstuffs. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand Sect B 85: 238–240
Nesheim S, Hardin NF, Francis OJ, Langham WS (1973) Analysis of ochratoxin A and B and their esters in barley, using partition and thin layer chromatography. I. Development of the method. J Assoc Off Anal Chem 56: 817–821
Pavlović M, Pleština R, Krogh P (1979) Ochratoxin A contamination of foodstuffs in an area with Balkan (endemic) nephropathy. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand Sect B 87: 243–246
Pleština R, Čeović, S, Gatenbeck S, Habazin-Novak V, Hult K, Hökby E, Krogh P, Radić B (1981) Human Exposure to Ochratoxin A in areas of Yugoslavia with endemic nephropathy. In: Krogh P (ed) Mycotoxins and Phycotoxins. Pathotox Publishing Inc. Illinois (in press)
Van der Merwe KJ, Steyn PS, Fourie L, Scott DB, Theron JJ (1965) Ochratoxin A, a toxic metabolite produced by Aspergillus ochraceus Wilh. Nature 205: 1112–1113
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hult, K., Pleština, R., Habazin-Novak, V. et al. Ochratoxin A in human blood and Balkan endemic nephropathy. Arch Toxicol 51, 313–321 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00317010
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00317010