Brenda Y Hernandez1, Xuemei Zhu2, Patrick Sotto3, Yvette Paulino4. 1. University of Hawaii Cancer Center, 701 Ilalo Street, Honolulu, HI 96813, United States. Electronic address: brenda@cc.hawaii.edu. 2. University of Hawaii Cancer Center, 701 Ilalo Street, Honolulu, HI 96813, United States. Electronic address: xzhu@cc.hawaii.edu. 3. University of Guam Cancer Research Center, Mangilao, GU, United States. Electronic address: sottop@triton.uog.edu. 4. University of Guam Cancer Research Center, Mangilao, GU, United States. Electronic address: paulinoy@triton.uog.edu.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Areca nut/betel quid (AN/BQ) chewing, a prevalent practice in parts of the Pacific and Asia, is an independent cause of cancers of the oral cavity and esophagus and may be linked to liver cancer. The mechanisms of AN/BQ-associated carcinogenesis are unclear. In a Guam population, we previously demonstrated that AN/BQ chewing alters the oral bacterial microbiome including in chewers with oral premalignant lesions. Enrichment of specific taxa, including Cyanobacteria, was observed. OBJECTIVES: We undertook an investigation to evaluate Areca catechu and/or Piper betle plants as potential sources of Cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins in AN/BQ chewers in Guam. METHODS: We evaluated bacterial 16S rRNA with Illumina MiSeq in 122 oral samples and 30 Areca catechu nut and Piper betle leaf samples. Cyanobacteria sequences were interrogated using the NCBI database to identify candidate species and their reference sequences were evaluated for secondary metabolite toxins using AntiSMASH 5.0. Selected toxins were measured by ELISA in extracts from 30 plant samples and in a subset of 25 saliva samples. RESULTS: Cyanobacteria was the predominant taxa in Areca catechu and Piper betle plants, comprising 75% of sequences. Cyanobacteria was detected at low levels in oral samples but 90-fold higher in current AN/BQ chewers compared to former/never chewers (p = 0.001). Microcystin/nodularin was detected in saliva (15 of 25 samples) and Piper betle leaves (6 of 10 samples). Cylindrospermopsin was detected in all saliva and leaf samples and 7 of 10 nut/husks. Salivary cylindrospermopsin levels were significantly higher in current chewers of betel quid (i.e., crushed Areca catechu nut wrapped in Piper betle leaf) compared to those chewing Areca nut alone. Anabaenopeptin was detected in saliva (10 of 25 samples), all leaf samples, and 7 of 10 nut/husks. Salivary anabaenopeptin concentration was weakly, albeit significantly, correlated with oral Cyanobacteria relative abundance. DISCUSSION: Our study demonstrates that Cyanobacteria can contaminate AN/BQ plants and expose chewers to potent hepatotoxins. With worldwide increases in climate-related overgrowth of Cyanobacteria, our findings have broad implications for cancer risk across populations.
BACKGROUND: Areca nut/betel quid (AN/BQ) chewing, a prevalent practice in parts of the Pacific and Asia, is an independent cause of cancers of the oral cavity and esophagus and may be linked to liver cancer. The mechanisms of AN/BQ-associated carcinogenesis are unclear. In a Guam population, we previously demonstrated that AN/BQ chewing alters the oral bacterial microbiome including in chewers with oral premalignant lesions. Enrichment of specific taxa, including Cyanobacteria, was observed. OBJECTIVES: We undertook an investigation to evaluate Areca catechu and/or Piper betle plants as potential sources of Cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins in AN/BQ chewers in Guam. METHODS: We evaluated bacterial 16S rRNA with Illumina MiSeq in 122 oral samples and 30 Areca catechu nut and Piper betle leaf samples. Cyanobacteria sequences were interrogated using the NCBI database to identify candidate species and their reference sequences were evaluated for secondary metabolite toxins using AntiSMASH 5.0. Selected toxins were measured by ELISA in extracts from 30 plant samples and in a subset of 25 saliva samples. RESULTS: Cyanobacteria was the predominant taxa in Areca catechu and Piper betle plants, comprising 75% of sequences. Cyanobacteria was detected at low levels in oral samples but 90-fold higher in current AN/BQ chewers compared to former/never chewers (p = 0.001). Microcystin/nodularin was detected in saliva (15 of 25 samples) and Piper betle leaves (6 of 10 samples). Cylindrospermopsin was detected in all saliva and leaf samples and 7 of 10 nut/husks. Salivary cylindrospermopsin levels were significantly higher in current chewers of betel quid (i.e., crushed Areca catechu nut wrapped in Piper betle leaf) compared to those chewing Areca nut alone. Anabaenopeptin was detected in saliva (10 of 25 samples), all leaf samples, and 7 of 10 nut/husks. Salivary anabaenopeptin concentration was weakly, albeit significantly, correlated with oral Cyanobacteria relative abundance. DISCUSSION: Our study demonstrates that Cyanobacteria can contaminate AN/BQ plants and expose chewers to potent hepatotoxins. With worldwide increases in climate-related overgrowth of Cyanobacteria, our findings have broad implications for cancer risk across populations.
Authors: Yvette C Paulino; Eric L Hurwitz; Joanne C Ogo; Tristan C Paulino; Ashley B Yamanaka; Rachel Novotny; Lynne R Wilkens; Mary Jane Miller; Neal A Palafox Journal: Cancer Epidemiol Date: 2017-10 Impact factor: 2.984
Authors: Melissa A Miller; Raphael M Kudela; Abdu Mekebri; Dave Crane; Stori C Oates; M Timothy Tinker; Michelle Staedler; Woutrina A Miller; Sharon Toy-Choutka; Clare Dominik; Dane Hardin; Gregg Langlois; Michael Murray; Kim Ward; David A Jessup Journal: PLoS One Date: 2010-09-10 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Brenda Y Hernandez; Xuemei Zhu; Harvey A Risch; Lingeng Lu; Xiaomei Ma; Melinda L Irwin; Joseph K Lim; Tamar H Taddei; Karen S Pawlish; Antoinette M Stroup; Robert Brown; Zhanwei Wang; Linda L Wong; Herbert Yu Journal: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev Date: 2021-10-25 Impact factor: 4.090
Authors: Brenda Y Hernandez; Jason Biggs; Xuemei Zhu; Patrick Sotto; Michelle Nagata; Ana Joy Pacilan Mendez; Yvette Paulino Journal: Microorganisms Date: 2022-08-09