Publications by authors named "Jovita M Castelino"
Article Synopsis
- The research investigates how early environmental factors influence epigenetic changes in the embryo, particularly focusing on differentially methylated regions in easily accessible tissues like blood and hair follicles.
- Two methods were used: genome-wide bisulfite sequencing in adults' DNA and assessing PBL methylation differences related to the season of conception in rural Gambia, both revealing the VTRNA2-1 gene as a primary epigenetic responder to environmental changes.
- The findings suggest that the VTRNA2-1 gene, linked to immunity and cancer suppression, experiences stable epigenetic changes due to early environmental conditions, highlighting potential connections between these alterations and human health outcomes.
Scope: This study explores the relationship between aflatoxin and the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) axis and its potential effect on child growth.
Methods And Results: One hundred and ninety-nine Kenyan schoolchildren were studied for aflatoxin-albumin adduct (AF-alb), IGF1 and IGF-binding protein-3 (IGFBP3) levels using ELISA. AF-alb was inversely associated with IGF1 and IGFBP3 (p < 0.
Objective: Aflatoxin is known to cross the placental barrier and exposures in utero could influence genomic programming, foetal growth and development, resulting in long-term health effects. We aimed to determine aflatoxin exposure in Gambian women at two stages of pregnancy and during the rainy and dry seasons.
Methods: We examined aflatoxin exposure in pregnant Gambian women at early (<16 weeks) and later (16 weeks onward) stages of pregnancy and at different times of the year, during the rainy (June to October 2009) or dry (November to May 2010) season, using aflatoxin-albumin adducts (AF-alb).
Background: Presentation with a firm type of chronic hepatomegaly of multifactorial etiology is common among school-age children in sub-Saharan Africa.
Objective: Aflatoxin is a liver toxin and carcinogen contaminating staple maize food. In this study we examined its role in chronic hepatomegaly.