Title:Mercury Exposure, Epigenetic Alterations and Brain Tumorigenesis: A Possible Relationship?
Volume: 27
Issue: 39
Author(s): Geir Bjørklund*, Lyudmila Pivina, Maryam Dadar, Yuliya Semenova, Salvatore Chirumbolo and Jan Aaseth
Affiliation:
- Council for Nutritional and Environmental Medicine (CONEM), Mo i Rana,Norway
Keywords:
Mercury, cancer, brain, reactive oxygen species, homeostasis, CpG hypermethylation.
Abstract: The risk assessment of mercury (Hg), in both wildlife and humans, represents an increasing
challenge. Increased production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) is a known Hg-induced
toxic effect, which can be accentuated by other environmental pollutants and by complex interactions
between environmental and genetic factors. Some epidemiological and experimental studies
have investigated a possible correlation between brain tumors and heavy metals. Epigenetic modifications
in brain tumors include aberrant activation of genes, hypomethylation of specific genes,
changes in various histones, and CpG hypermethylation. Also, Hg can decrease the bioavailability
of selenium and induce the generation of reactive oxygen that plays important roles in different
pathological processes. Modification of of metals can induce excess ROS and cause lipid peroxidation,
alteration of proteins, and DNA damage. In this review, we highlight the possible relationship
between Hg exposure, epigenetic alterations, and brain tumors.