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Abstract
Levels of serum and urinary sphinganine (Sa) and sphingosine (So), the Sa/So ratio, and urinary-free fumonisin B1 (FB1) were determined in a cross-sectional study consisting of 43 adults in Huaian and 34 adults in Fusui, China. Home-produced corn had 100% contamination with FB1. There were 93.0% (40/43) of Huaian subjects and 52.9% (18/34) of Fusui subjects with daily FB1 intakes greater than 2 µg kg−1 body weight, which showed a significant difference (p < 0.01). Levels of sphinganine and sphingosine and the Sa/So ratio were not correlated with levels of dietary exposure. The median level of the serum Sa/So ratio in Huaian subjects (0.41, range = 0.14–0.85) was significantly lower than that in Fusui subjects (0.78, range = 0.57–1.08) (p < 0.01). The median level of the urinary Sa/So ratio was also significantly lower in Huaian subjects (0.31, range = 0.08–1.33) than in Fusui subjects (0.57, range = 0.03–2.52) (p < 0.01). Urinary-free FB1 was detected in 83.7% (36/43) of Huaian samples and in 82.4% (28/34) of Fusui urine samples (p > 0.05). However, the median level of urinary-free FB1 in Huaian subjects, 3.91 (range = 0.06–253.61) ng mg−1 creatinine, was significantly higher than 0.39 (range = 0.01–3.72) ng mg−1 creatinine found in Fusui subjects (p < 0.01). These results suggest that urinary-free FB1 may be a potential biomarker for human fumonisin exposure, while further validation is needed in human epidemiological and intervention studies.
Acknowledgement
This work was supported by a research grant from the National Cancer Institute (Grant Number CA 94683) and a research grant from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) (Grant Number ECG-A-00-0700001-00) through the peanut Collaborative Research Support Program (CRSP) of the University of Georgia.