Mabel Ayebatonyo Charles-Davies

Cadmium level in pregnancy, influence on neonatal birth weight and possible amelioration by some essential trace elements.

Cadmium (Cd) is currently of great concern in rapidly industrializing countries-India, China. Their products consumed especially due to increase demand in many developing countries like Nigeria can result in adverse effects. Cd is a ubiquitous environmental pollutant and toxicant and humans are continually exposed to the toxic effects of Cd primarily through food as well as from environmental pollution through industrial activities. Maternal exposure to Cd has been associated with the delivery of low-birth weight babies and an increase incidence of spontaneous abortion. Cd a toxic metal can displace zinc (Zn) an essential element necessary for normal fetal development and growth. With this consideration, 160 subjects comprising of 125 pregnant and 35 non-pregnant subjects as controls were recruited for this study. The pregnant subjects were classified according to the three trimesters of pregnancy as followed; 35, 35, and 55 from the first to the third trimesters respectively. The third trimester subjects were followed-up until after delivery where neonatal parameters (birth weight, head circumference, and length) of babies were measured. 32 (58%) of the women delivered babies with normal birth weight, 19 women (35%) delivered babies with low-birth weight while four women (7%) delivered babies with high- birth weight. Subject who delivered low-birth weight babies had significantly higher Cd concentration and lower Zn concentration and body mass index when compared with those with normal weight babies. These results suggest that Cd indeed has some toxic effects on neonatal birth weight.

Impact of dietary intervention on selected biochemical indices of inflammation and oxidative stress in Nigerians with metabolic syndrome: a pilot study.

ABSTRACT Aim: This study assessed the impact of dietary modification on cardiometabolic, inflammatory and oxidative stress indices in Nigerians with metabolic syndrome (MS). Subjects and Methods: Sixty participants with MS were selected using the International Diabetes Federation criteria from a cohort participating in “Risk Assessment of Type 2 diabetes mellitus and Dementia in Nigerians with Metabolic Syndrome” study. The subjects were seen by a Dietitian and the approximate percentages of total calories from total protein, total fat, polyunsaturated fat, and carbohydrate were calculated from dietary history and pegged at 20%, 30%, 14% and 50% respectively. To ensure compliance, each participant was seen monthly (for 6 months) by the Dietitian. Glucose and lipid profile were determined using enzymatic methods. Serum activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), Myeloperoxidase (MPO) and levels of nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H

Sex Hormones, Oestrogen Receptor, Progesterone Receptor and Human Epithelial Receptor 2 Expressions in Pre and Postmenopausal Sub-Saharan African Women with Breast Cancer

Aim: This study was carried out to determine the serum levels of sex hormones and gonadotropins as well as the expression of oestrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and human epithelial receptor 2 (HER 2) in pre and postmenopausal women with breast cancer. Study Design: Case-control study. Place and Duration of Study: Surgical Oncology Clinic, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria between April 2011 and July 2014. Methodology: 169 non-pregnant women aged 48.3±1.3 years were recruited for this study. They comprised of 85 histologically confirmed breast cancer pre-therapy (cases) matched with 84 Original Research Article Ajayi et al.; JCTI, 3(4): 1-11, 2016; Article no.JCTI.25259 2 apparently healthy women without breast cancer (controls) according to age and menstrual phase. Both cases and controls were subdivided into pre and postmenopausal groups (54 premenopausal cases; 31 postmenopausal cases; 53 premenopausal controls; 31 postmenopausal controls respectively). Anthropometry and reproductive history were obtained by standard methods. Blood (10ml) was obtained from participants and centrifuged to obtain serum. Oestradiol, progesterone, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) were determined using enzyme immunoassay (EIA). Expression of ER, PR and HER 2 were determined by immunohistochemistry. Data analysed by Chi-square, Student’s t-test and multiple regression were considered statistically significant at p<0.05. Results: All premenopausal cases (100%) had ER and PR receptor negative expressions out of which 46(88.5%) had HER 2 receptor negative expression. Oestradiol and progesterone were significantly higher in postmenopausal cases compared with controls (p<0.05) while FSH and LH were significantly higher in premenopausal cases than controls (p<0.05). Conclusion: The pathophysiology of breast cancer may be based on menstrual phase. Elevated gonadotropins and sex hormones may be important in premenopausal and postmenopausal women with breast cancer. Triple negative breast cancer observed in 88.5% of premenopausal women with breast cancer is critical in the management of the disease especially in younger women.

Pituitary, Gonadal, Thyroid Hormones and Endocrine Disruptors in Pre and Postmenopausal Nigerian Women with ER-, PR- and HER-2-Positive and Negative Breast Cancers

Breast cancer is broadly sub-divided into hormone responsive and non-hormone responsive subtypes. Estradiol has been associated with hormone responsive breast cancers. There is, however, a paucity of information on the role of sex hormones, gonadotropins, and thyroid hormone in non-hormone responsive breast cancer. This study aimed to determine differences in the serum levels of sex hormones, gonadotropins, thyroid hormones, and endocrine disruptors (lead, cadmium, and arsenic) in Nigerian women with hormone responsive and non-hormone responsive breast cancers. Seventy-nine non-pregnant women aged 28–80 years with histologically confirmed breast cancer were recruited, pre-therapy, into this cross-sectional study. They comprised 52 premenopausal women and 27 postmenopausal women recruited from the Surgical Oncology Clinic of the Department of Surgery, University College Hospital, Ibadan. Comparison of biochemical parameters were based on the positivity (+) and negativity (−) of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and human epithelial receptor-2 (HER-2). Estradiol, progesterone, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), free thyroxine (FT4), free triiodothyronine (FT3), and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) were determined using enzyme immunoassay (EIA). Serum lead, cadmium and arsenic were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS). Expression of ER, PR and HER2 were determined using immunohistochemistry. Data was analyzed using Mann-Whitney U-test and multiple regression, with p < 0.05 considered as being statistically significant. Estradiol and progesterone were significantly higher in breast cancer participants with ER− and PR− compared with those with ER+ and PR+ breast cancer (p < 0.05). Follicle stimulating hormone and LH levels were significantly higher in participants with ER+ and PR+ breast cancer compared with participants with ER− and PR− breast cancer (p < 0.05). Arsenic was inversely related with TSH in premenopausal participants with ER− and PR− (β = −0.305; β = −0.304, respectively). Sex hormones and gonadotropins appear to be involved in the pathogenesis of triple negative and luminal breast cancer, respectively.

Zinc, lead, and cadmium levels in serum and milk of lactating women in Ibadan, Nigeria:

Zinc (Zn) is known to interact with lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) reversing their toxicity and reducing their concentrations. However, lactating women are at high risk of developing Zn deficiency, which may result in Pb and Cd intoxication or increased exposure of breast-fed infants to Pb and Cd from breast milk. The aim of this study was to determine Zn, Pb, and Cd concentrations and examine their relationship in serum and breast milk of lactating women in Ibadan, Nigeria. Ninety-two lactating women were recruited into this study. Anthropometric measurements were assessed by standard methods while serum and breast milk concentrations of Zn, Pb, and Cd were assessed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Data analyzed statistically by Student’s t test, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and a multiple regression model were significant at p < 0.05. Zn deficiency was observed in 12 (17.1%) of lactating women. Breast milk levels of Zn, Pb, and Cd were significantly higher than their levels in serum, whereas the ratios Zn:Pb and Zn:Cd in milk were significantly less than serum ratios. Significant negative correlation was observed between milk Pb and serum Zn:Pb while milk Cd correlated positively with milk Zn. Significant positive correlations were observed between serum Zn and serum Zn:Pb, serum Zn and serum Zn:Cd, as well as serum Zn:Cd and serum Zn:Pb. Serum Cd and serum Zn were significantly negatively related. Significant negative correlations between serum Pb and serum Zn:Pb as well as milk Zn:Pb. Serum Cd and serum Zn:Pb as well as serum Zn:Cd correlated negatively. Milk Cd and Zn/Cd positively related with milk Pb while milk Zn was a negatively related with milk Pb in a multiple regression model (R 2 = 0.333; p = 0.023). Breast milk may be contaminated by toxic metals. However, Zn supplementation in deficient mothers may protect maternal and infant health.