Ochratoxin A-related DNA adducts in urinary tract tumours of Bulgarian subjects

Ochratoxin A (OTA), a natural contaminant of mouldy food and feed, is suspected of being one of the etiological agents responsible for Balkan endemic nephropathy (BEN) and the associated urinary tract tumours. We have previously shown that ochratoxin A is genotoxic as expressed by DNA single-strand breaks. DNA-OTA adducts have been detected in various mouse organs after ochratoxin A treatment. Tumorous tissues from three kidneys and five bladders of Bulgarian patients undergoing surgery for cancer and from three non-malignant kidneys collected from French subjects were analysed for DNA adducts. Several adducts with the same RF values as those obtained from mouse kidney after treatment with OTA (one major and some minor adducts) were detected, mainly in kidney but also in bladder tissues from Bulgaria. No adducts were detected in French kidney tissues. These results provide new evidence of the possible role of OTA in the development of tumours of the urinary tract in Bulgaria.