PROMEC Unit

Annual Scientific Report

Research Highlights  2007:

1. The fumonisins are carcinogenic mycotoxins produced mainly by Fusarium verticillioides and F. proliferatum in maize, the predominant cereal staple for subsistence farming communities in southern Africa. In order to assess exposure to these mycotoxins in the Bizana (now known as Mbizana) and Centane magisterial areas of the former Transkei region of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, the actual uncooked maize consumption by different age groups in these communities was measured. In the groups 1-9 years (n = 215) and 10-17 (n = 240) years, mean consumption (± standard error) was 246 ± 10.8 and 368 ± 10.3 g/person/day respectively, with no significant difference (p>0.05) between the magisterial areas. For adults (18-65 years) mean maize consumption in Bizana (n = 229) and Centane (n = 178) were significantly different (p<0.05) at 379 ± 10.5 and 456 ± 11.9 g/person/day, respectively. An exposure assessment was performed by combining the maize consumption distribution with previously determined levels of total fumonisin (sum of the main fumonisin forms, fumonisins B1 and B2) contamination in home-grown maize in these two areas. Assuming an individual adult body weight of 60 kg, fumonisin exposure in Bizana, an area of relatively low oesophageal cancer incidence, was 3.43 ± 0.15 μg/kg body weight/day, which was significantly lower (p<0.05) than that in Centane (8.67 ± 0.18 μg/kg body weight/day), an area of high oesophageal cancer incidence. Mean fumonisin exposures in all age groups in both Bizana and Centane were above the provisional maximum tolerable daily intake (PMTDI) of 2 μg/kg body weight/day set by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives.
2. To investigate the important role of diet and nutrition in the development of esophageal cancer among a high-risk population such as the Xhosa-speaking Africans from the former Transkei region, a valid and culturally specific dietary tool was developed and validated. This culturally specific dietary assessment tool, the RAPP TOOL (Ratio and Portion size Pictures) includes photographic pictures of the types of food that are most likely consumed in these areas and a food frequency questionnaire. The pictures and the food frequency questionnaire were developed with the aid of focus groups and in-depth interviews conducted with women from different regions in the former Transkei. The dishes, (for development of the portion size pictures), was prepared by a women originally from the Transkei region, during a food party. Validation was conducted in three steps: (I) Face, (II) Criterion related and (III) Relative validity. For face validity, the pictures were validated by comparing actual intake with perceived portions sizes from the pictures. For criterion related validity, two different reference methods were used. The tool was validated against total energy expenditure (TEE) obtained from applying a validated physical activity questionnaire. Basal metabolic rate was calculated from the Schofield equation using the Goldberg cut - off points. For the second criterion related validity method, four 24-hr urine samples were collected from each participant. Biomarkers (24-hour urinary Nitrogen, Sodium and Potassium) were used to determine the criterion related validity. Relative validity will be assessed by comparing the new FFQ with the average nutrient intakes calculated using 4 repeated 24-hr recall assessments, (including three week days as well as one weekend day from each participant).  The RAPP Tool will be used to assess usual and past intake over a month period of people living in the three areas.  Analysis of the dietary data will be done with a computer program Foodfinderä, supplied by the Nutrition Intervention Research Unit. The development and validation of this tool forms part of Ms MJ Lombard’s PhD thesis in Dietetics in the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics Unit, University of Cape Town. Title: “Development and validation of a culturally specific dietary assessment tool to determine habitual dietary patterns of people living in high OC risk areas in rural Transkei”. 

• Dr S Abel was awarded the AACR-NCI International Investigator Opportunity Grant to attend the 5th Annual AACR International Conference, Boston, MA, USA, 12-15 November 2006.
• Ms HM Burger and Dr S Abel have been nominated to serve on the committee board of the Western Cape Province branch of  Nutritional Society of South Africa (NSSA)
• Dr JR Rheeder has been appointed (24 January 2007) by the FAO as national consultant in the application of integrated mycotoxin management systems based on GAP/GMP/HACCP programmes for South Africa. This is a project undertaken between the FAO and the National Departments of Health and Agriculture.
• Dr GS Shephard was appointed to the Editorial Council of the Brazilian journal, Revista do Instituto Adolfo Lutz (RIAL). (12 February 2007)
• Dr GS Shephard was appointed as section editor for human health and mycotoxins for the new World Mycotoxin Journal. (11 April)
• Dr GS Shephard was appointed to the new Editorial Board of Mycotoxin Research. (13 April)
• Dr GS Shephard was invited to co-chair the session “Mycotoxins - Sampling and analysis” at the World Mycotoxin Forum: the Fourth Conference, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA (6-8 November). He also provided a Chairs’ Introduction and acted as rapporteur in delivering an oral summary of the session for the wrapping up plenary session.
• Dr GS Shephard was invited as a speaker to the 10th International Symposium on Toxic Microorganisms, sponsored by UJNR Joint Panel on Toxic Microorganisms, United States – Japan Cooperative Program on Development & Utilization of Natural Resources, 7-9 November. His presentation was “Biomarkers of exposure to fumonisin mycotoxins
• Dr GS Shephard and Ms L van der Westhuizen met with Mr Carel Morren, Dept of Health Forensic Laboratory and Dr Michael Stack, international FAO consultant concerning the confirmatory determination of mycotoxins in South African food samples (8 December).
• Dr V Sewram was appointed as Research Associate in the Faculty of Pharmacy, Rhodes University from 01 January 2007 to 31 December 2009.
• Ms NIM Somdyala was invited by Groote Schuur Hospital in collaboration with the University of Cape Town to a Special International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Nobel Peace Prize Fund for Regional Cancer Training Institutes on Cancer Control Meeting that was held at the Breakwater Lodge Graduate School of Business in Cape Town, 11-15 December 2006. A document “Cape Town Declaration on Cancer Control in Africa” was drafted by leaders in cancer care and control from African states that were present in the meeting. This declaration is available at <www-naweb.iaea.org/pact/>. IAEA funding opportunities were also discussed. PROMEC Cancer Registry and the Eastern Cape Non-communicable Diseases Directorate had a meeting with Mrs Vuvu Msutwana-Qupe, the IAEA liaison officer in Pretoria to discuss the possibility of accessing IAEA funding.
• Dr DM Parkin an expert in epidemiology and cancer registration based in Oxford University, UK visited PROMEC Cancer Registry during March 2007. The aim of the visit was to review the registry and give advice on aspects regarding cancer registration.
• Drs JP Rheeder and HF Vismer attended the Mycotoxin Launch Meeting of the Animal Feed Manufacturers Association (AFMA) that was held on 20 March 2007 at the AFMA Offices in Centurion, Johannesburg. Dr Vismer was elected to serve on the Steering Committee of AFMA for the selection of future research proposals.
• Dr GS Shephard undertook a technical consultancy in Lusaka, Lilongwe and Blantyre for Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) project to address aflatoxin in groundnuts and paprika exports from Malawi and Zambia. (11-23 March)
• The scientific article “Structure elucidation of the fumonisins, mycotoxins from Fusarium moniliforme by Bezuidenhout et al.” published during 1988 in Chemical Communications was rated as the 15th most cited article among the top 40 cited papers during the past 40 years.
• Dr HF Vismer was elected as the President of the Pan African Medical Mycology Society (PAMMS) at the recent PAMMS 2007 Conference, CTICC, Cape Town, 6-8 May 2007.
• Dr JP Rheeder was elected as Secretary of the Pan African Medical Mycology Society (PAMMS) at the recent PAMMS 2007 Conference, CTICC, Cape Town, 6-8 May 2007.
• Dr Abel to serve on the Western Cape Branch Committee of NSSA (Nutrition Society of South Africa).
• Dr Shephard was re-appointed to the editorial board of Applied and Environmental Microbiology for the period 2008-2010.
• Dr DR Katerere was invited to tour the aloe processing plant with Dr Madiehe by Ms Toko Boboyi.  They also met with the CEO of the Eastern Cape Development Corporation on the aloe project on 14-15 May 2007.
• Dr DR Katerere was invited by the national Department of Environment and Tourism (DEAT) to give input to the regulations on the Biodiversity Act, Chapter 6: Bioprospecting and Access Benefit Sharing on 20 April 2007.
• Dr HF Vismer was invited to present an oral presentation at the Food Safety Forum, Protea Hotel, Cape Town. (16-17 July)
• Dr HF Vismer attended the Mycotoxin Steering Committee Meeting of the Animal Feed Manufacturers Association (AFMA) that was held at the AFMA Offices in Centurion, Johannesburg to discuss future research proposals on mycotoxins in South Africa to be funded by the Maize Trust, 18 September 2007.   
• Dr WCA Gelderblom was appointed as an extraordinary professor at the Department of Biochemistry, University of Stellenbosch for the period of 2006 - 2008.
• Dr DR Katerere was appointed Chair of the Internal Scientific Review Committee for studies requiring use of animals in January 2007.
• Prof WFO Marasas, previous Director of the PROMEC Unit was elected as a new member of the National Academy of Sciences.  The Academy is a private organisation of scientist and engineers dedicated to the furtherance of science and for the general welfare. Prof Marasas is only the second South African Scientist to receive this highly prestigious award (May 2007). 
• Dr JP Rheeder has been appointed to the Editorial Board of the newly established scientific journal Asian Journal of Plant Pathology, for the period 2006 - 2008.
• Dr GS Shephard was appointed to the new Editorial Board of Mycotoxin Research (April 2007)
• Dr HF Vismer as chairperson of the Organising Committee of the Pan African Medical Mycology Society (PAMMS) Conference that was held 6-8 May 2007 at the CTICC in Cape Town.
• Dr HF Vismer was invited to serve on a Committee of Experts to compile the “Guidelines for the Prevention, Diagnosis and Management of Cryptococcal Meningitis and Disseminated Cryptococcosis in HIV-infected patients” (June 2007).
• Dr HF Vismer was elected President of the the Pan African Environmental Mutagen Society (PAEMS) Conference to be held at the CTICC, 2-5 November 2008.
• Dr HF Vismer as chairperson of the Organising Committee of Pan African Environmental Mutagen Society (PAEMS) Conference to be held at the CTICC, 2-5 November 2008.

Capacity development:

1. Ms C Abrahams, MSc Medical BioSciences, UWC. Thesis title: The cancer modulating effect of dietary fatty acids on the lipid profile in colon mucosa in vivo and colon epithelial cells in vitro       (Prof WCA Gelderblom and Dr S Abel, Co-supervisors).
2. Mr B Gnonlonfin, PhD, Department of Pathobiology, University of Copenhagen. Thesis title: Aflatoxin contamination on cassava chips and assessment of its auto-defense mechanism. (Dr GS Shephard, co-supervisor).
3. Mr T Govender, MSc, CPUT. Thesis title: An investigation of antimicrobial and antifungal activity of amphibian epithelia from selected frog species of the south Western Cape of South Africa (Dr DR Katerere, Co-supervisor).
4. Ms GM Hon, Dr S Abel, DTech (Biomedical Technology), Cape Peninsula University of Technology. Thesis title: The role of viral factors and membrane fatty acids in the loss of membrane integrity in multiple sclerosis patients (Dr S Abel, Co-promoter).
5. Mrs MJ Lombaard, PhD UCT. Thesis title: Development and validation of a culturally specific dietary assessment tool to determine habitual dietary patterns of people living in high OC risk areas in rural Transkei.  (Ms H Burger - External Advisor).
6. Ms S Riedel, PhD, Westfälische Wilhems-Universität Münster, Germany. Thesis title: Modulation of lipid metabolism as a possible tool to prevent carcinogenic effects of fumonisin B1 in rat liver (Dr WCA Gelderblom, Co-Promoter).
7. Ms S Samodien, PhD Physiology, UWC. Thesis title: Flavonoid concentrates as chemopreventive agents. (Prof WCA Gelderblom, Promoter, Dr S Abel and Prof M de Kock Co-promoters).
8. Ms I Schuhr, MSc, Westfälische Wilhems-Universität Münster, Germany. Thesis title: To investigate the anti-oxidant potential of Oleic acid (C18:1n-9) in primary and cancer cells. Promoter: Prof. Dr. Karl Speer, University of Technology Dresden (TU Dresden) and Dr S Abel (Co-Promoter).
9. Mr S Ntuli, PhD, University of the Western Cape. Thesis title: Cytotoxic, antimutagenic/antioxidant, antiproliferative and cancer modulating properties of Sutherlandia frutescens in short term in vitro and in vivo carcinogenesis assays. (Prof WCA Gelderblom, Dr DR Katerere, Prof J Syce, Co-supervisors)
10. Mr KM Thembo, PhD, University of Limpopo. Thesis title: Developing anti-fungal pesticides from plants (Dr DR Katerere, Co-supervisor).
11. Ms D van der Merwe, PhD Food Science, US. Thesis title: Bioavailability of major polyphenols present in South African herbal teas, rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) and honeybush (Cyclopia intermedia) (Prof WCA Gelderblom, Promoter).
12. Ms T Magcwebeba, PhD, Biochemistry, University of Stellenbosch. Thesis title: Therapeutic effects of South African herbal teas, Rooibos and Honeybush on skin cancer. (Prof WCA Gelderblom and Dr K Gamieldien, Co-Promoters).

Thesis examination:

• Guy PP Kamatou. Indigenous Salvia species - An investigation of their pharmacological activities and phytchemistry. PhD thesis - University of the Witwatersrand (External Examiner - Dr D. Katerere).
• Hon D. The role of the fatty acid composition of blood cell membranes in the aetiology of multiple sclerosis. MTech (BioMedical Technology) dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Health Sciences, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, November 2006. (External Examiner - Dr S Abel).
• Reddy RV. Investigation of chemical components and pharmaceutical potential of Carpobrotus species. University of Tasmania, Australia. (External Examiner - Dr D. Katerere)
• Leshwedi M. The anti-inflammatory properties of Salacia leptoclada and Warburgia salutaris: Their possible role as therapeutic agents in crystalline silica-induced cellular injury. MSc University of Johannesburg. (Dr DR Katerere, External Examiner)
• Mulubwe N. A comparative study of the phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitory activity of Artemisia afra, Leonotis leonorus and Mentha longifolia plant medicines. MSc. School of Pharmacy, UWC (Dr DR Katerere, External Examiner)
• Ojangole M. Stability of luteolin and dissolution from crude dried Artemisa afra and its aqueous extract. MSc. School of Pharmacy, UWC (Dr DR Katerere, External Examiner)

Other research capacity development activities:

• Dr S Abel is a co-promoter for Ms Gloudina Maria Hon (DTech, Biomedical Technology, Cape Peninsula University of Technology).  Her thesis investigates the role of viral factors and membrane fatty acids in the loss of membrane integrity in multiple sclerosis patients.
• Dr K Gamieldien provided training to Dr Giesela Joone from the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Pretoria who visited the PROMEC Unit from the 18th June to the 12th July 2007 for training in the Salmonella typhymurium mutagenecity assays: Investigating the possible mutagenic properties of fulvic acid against the bacterial strains: TA98, TA100, TA102 and TA 97a.
• Mr N Jafta of the Department of Occupational and Environmental Health of Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, Durban visited PROMEC Cancer Registry. Mr Jafta is on a fact finding expedition in preparation for the establishment of the eThekwini Cancer Registry. (22 August)
• Dr D Katerere trained University of Limpopo (MEDUNSA) staff on proposal and academic writing on behalf of the Research and Capacity Development Unit March 28 at Bundu Inn, Pretoria.
• Dr D Katerere held a training workshop for MRC interns on scientific writing in Cape Town on the 29th of August 2007.
• Ms D Lunow, a German food chemist student from Dresden is currently visiting PROMEC Unit for a six month practical under the guidance of Hester Burger. The title of the project: "The effect of FB1 on cholesterol metabolism".
• Ms B Rapiya from the Burden of Disease Research Unit visited the Subprogramme Microbiology. (Ms L Moses)
• Ms I Schuhr from the University of Technology, Dresden (TU Dredsen), Germany, has joined PROMEC for a 9 month study period as part of her Masters Degree.  She will investigate the anti-oxidant role of oleic acid (C18:1n-9) in carcinogenesis using in primary hepatocytes and HepG2 cancer cells. (Study supervisors:  Prof. Dr. Karl Speer and Dr S Abel).
• Ms NIM Somdyala successfully applied for funding from CARISA towards traveling and accommodation expenses for three delegates (Mrs Sonia Davids (Non-communicable Disease Manager in Qaukeni Region), Mrs Jongiwe Boyce (Oncology Nurse from Mthatha Oncology Unit) and Mrs Celiwe Fadana (Data Collector) from Tafalofefe Hospital. They attended the AORTIC 2007 Cancer Registries Workshop and African Regional Cancer Registries Meeting held on 27 and 28 October, respectively.
• Two grade 11 students of Settlers High School, Shanaaz Sulaiman and Nishaat Latief visited PROMEC as part of the Learner’s shadow career programme.  (Ms L Moses and Dr JP Rheeder).

Research interns

Ms T Magcwebeba, Mr S Ntuli and Mr KM Thembo have been appointed as Research Interns in the PROMEC Unit with Prof WCA Gelderblom, Dr DR Katerere and Dr HF Vismer as mentors during 2007/2008.

Science communication and research translation

1. An article in Sunday Times “Umqombothi could be cancer in a calabash” was published based on an interview with Dr Shephard concerning the occurrence of fumonisins in traditional Xhosa maize beer. (18 February)
2. Dr GS Shephard was interviewed by East Coast Radio (20 February) and Daily Despatch, Umtata (27 February) concerning the occurrence of fumonisins in traditional Xhosa maize beer.
3. Dr K Gamieldien was an invited speaker at Khanyagula educators’ workshop. Presentation by a practicing scientist - Wonders of South African rooibos tea. MRC Conference center. (21 April)
4. During February 2007, MRC PROMEC Unit and Corporate and Public Affairs Directorate in collaboration with the Eastern Cape Departments of Education (DoE) and Health (DoH), the Eastern Cape branch of Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA), held cancer awareness campaigns in observing the “World Cancer Day” in the rural former Transkei region of the Eastern Cape Province. These campaigns were held in Centane Municipality on 4 February 2007 and in Mbizana (Bizana) Municipality on 9 February 2007. The target group was school children and the theme “Today’s children, tomorrow’s world.
5. During July 2007, results were followed up with the voluntary participants in cervical cancer screening on World Cancer Day. Four women, ages (48, 57, 59 and 75 years) from Ndunge village of the Mbizana Municipality had positive Pap smears. Three were sent to St Elizabeth Hospital in Lusikisiki and Dr Ndala who is in charge of cervical cancer screening programme in this hospital performed further investigations.