Association between Chronic Environmental Lead (Pb) Exposure and Cytokines in Males and Females of Reproductive Age from Kabwe, Zambia.

Lead (Pb) poisoning remains a great public health challenge globally known to induce a wide range of ailments in both children and adults. The current study investigated the association of chronic environmental Pb exposure and immunomodulatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) in adult males and females living in Kabwe, Zambia. The standard human cytokine/chemokine Milliplex assay was used to quantify plasma cytokines from four groups categorized as low (<10 μg/dL) and high (>10 μg/dL) blood lead level (BLL) groups, namely, low BLL female ( = 47; BLL = 3.

Methylation profiles of global LINE-1 DNA and the GSTP1 promoter region in children exposed to lead (Pb).

Lead (Pb) exposure has adverse health effects and altered DNA methylation may contribute to Pb toxicity. LINE-1 is an interspersed repeated DNA that is used as a surrogate marker for estimating genomic DNA methylation levels, and GSTP1 is an isozyme that detoxifies xenobiotics like Pb, and its expression is inhibited by methylation. Thus, to assess the effects of Pb exposure on global hypomethylation and gene-specific promoter hypermethylation, we examined DNA methylation at LINE-1 repetitive elements and the GSTP1 promoter region.

Human Health Risk Assessment from Lead Exposure through Consumption of Raw Cow Milk from Free-Range Cattle Reared in the Vicinity of a Lead-Zinc Mine in Kabwe.

Lead (Pb) contamination in the environment affects both humans and animals. Chronic exposure to Pb via dietary intake of animal products such as milk from contaminated areas poses a health risk to consumers; therefore, the present study investigated Pb contamination in cow milk and its health risk impact on humans through consumption of milk from cattle reared in the proximity of a Pb−Zn mine in Kabwe, Zambia. Fresh milk samples were collected from cows from Kang’omba (KN), Kafulamse (KF), Mpima (MP), Mukobeko (MK), and Munga (MN) farming areas.

Benzophenone Glucosides and B-Type Proanthocyanidin Dimers from Zambian and Their Trypanocidal Activities.

Two benzophenone glucosides ( and ), five flavan-3-ol dimers (-), and 17 known compounds (, , and -) were identified from the bark extract of . The chemical structures display two points of interest. First, as an unusual characteristic feature of the H NMR spectra of and , the signals for the protons on glucosidic carbons C-2 are shielded as compared to those generally observed for glucosyl moieties.

Glutathione S-transferase gene polymorphisms in association with susceptibility to lead toxicity in lead- and cadmium-exposed children near an abandoned lead-zinc mining area in Kabwe, Zambia.

Interindividual genetic variations determine human's susceptibility to heavy metal-induced toxicity. Thus, we analyzed blood concentrations of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) in 140 lead-exposed children. Genotyping of the glutathione S-transferase (GST) genes, GSTM1, GSTT1, and GSTP1 genes, was carried out to investigate their possible association with heavy metal concentrations and the risk of susceptibility to Pb toxicity.