OCHRATOXIN-INDUCED ANIMAL AND HUMAN NEPHR OTOXICITY

Ochratoxin A is a mycotoxin : a dihydroisocoumarin derivative linked t o L. beta phenylalanine. Ochratoxin A is produced by a number of Asper gillus and Penicillium species. This mycotoxin is a carcinogenic, tera togenic, mutagenic and immunosuppressive substance. Ochratoxin A is a common contaminant found in a variety of foods for human nutrition as well as animal feeds. The aim of this study is to discuss nephrotoxic properties of this mycotoxin in humans. Nephrotoxicity has been report ed in many animals after exposure to ochratoxin A. Porcine nephropathy due to this mycotoxin is a well known disease characterized by impair ment of proximal renal functian. Renal damage is also confined to the proximal tubule in other animal species. A goon correlation is found b etween renal function abnormalities and the location of the lesions al ong the nephron. Of particular interest is the presence of nuclear abn ormalities of the epithelial cells with pyknosis, karyorrhexis and kar yomegaly. The question is to know if ochratoxin is nephrotoxic in huma ns Acute nephrotoxicity seems to be very rare and we found only one ca se report suggesting such a possibility. We observed the occurrence of . chronic renal failure in two patients with a possible responsibility of a chronic ochratoxin A intoxication. Clinical and histologic findi ngs in these two patients were quite similar to those described in sev eral cases of karyomegalic intestitial nephritis. Striking similaritie s between the changes in renal structure and function seen in ochratox in A-induced experimental nephropathies and in Balkan endemic nephropa thy suggest a common etiologic agent. This mycotoxin could be also res ponsible for interstitial nephropathies in North Africa.