Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39883710›Full record

ArticlePloS one2025

An untargeted metabolomic analysis of acute AFB1 treatment in liver, breast, and lung cells.

Heidi H Cao, Sabrina Molina, Susan Sumner, Blake R Rushing

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Heidi H CaoDepartment of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America.
Sabrina MolinaNutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, NC, United States of America.
Susan SumnerDepartment of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America.
Blake R RushingDepartment of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America.ORCID 0000-0002-8662-3270

Funding

UNC-CH CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH &SUSCEPTIBILITYP30ES010126 · NIEHS · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · PI Hazel B Nichols · 2001 to 2026
$36.3M
UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CLINICAL NUTRITION RESEARCH UNITP30DK056350 · NIDDK · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · PI Ian Michael Carroll · 1999 to 2026
$31.6M
NIDDK NIH HHS P30 DK056350NIEHS NIH HHS P30 ES010126
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a class 1 carcinogen and mycotoxin known to contribute to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), growth impairment, altered immune system modulation, and malnutrition. AFB1 is synthesized by Aspergillus flavus and is known to widely contaminate foodstuffs, particularly maize, wheat, and groundnuts. The mechanism in which AFB1 causes genetic mutations has been well studied, however its metabolomic effects remained largely unknown. A better understanding of how AFB1 disrupts metabolism would provide insight into how this mycotoxin leads to carcinogenesis, growth impairment, and/or immunomodulation, and may reveal potential targets for pharmacological or nutritional interventions to protect against these effects. The current study evaluated the metabolomic effects of various doses (2.5 μM, 5 μM, 10uM) of AFB1 treatment to HepG2 (liver), MDA-MB-231 (breast), and A549 (lung) cells. Treated and control cells' metabolomic profiles were evaluated via ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS). Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed significant alterations in metabolite concentrations from each dose of AFB1 treatment in each cell type. Pathway analysis was then used to understand broader biochemical functions affected by AFB1 treatment in each cell type. HepG2 cell pathway analyses revealed significant pathway perturbations in lipid metabolism, carnitine synthesis, catecholamine biosynthesis, purine metabolism, and spermidine and spermine biosynthesis. Analysis of A549 cells found a greater emphasis of perturbations on various amino acids along with lipid synthesis-related pathways, and catecholamine biosynthesis. Finally, analysis of treated MDA-MB-231 cells found spermidine and spermine biosynthesis, carnitine synthesis, plasma membrane-related pathways (phosphatidylcholine synthesis and alpha linolenic acid and linoleic acid metabolism), and various amino acid metabolism pathways to be most affected. These highlighted pathways should be targeted in future investigations to evaluate their potential in mitigating or preventing the development of negative health effects associated with AFB1 exposure.

Indexed as

Aflatoxin B1BreastLiverLungMetabolomeMetabolomicsA549 CellsCell Line, TumorFemaleHep G2 CellsHumansAflatoxin B1

Identifiers

PMID39883710
PMCPMC11781672

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.