Arsenic-protein interactions as a mechanism of arsenic toxicity.

Cristian A Vergara-Gerónimo, Alfonso León Del Río, Mauricio Rodríguez-Dorantes, Patricia Ostrosky-Wegman, Ana María Salazar

Toxicology and applied pharmacology 2021 Nov 15

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Millions of people worldwide are exposed to arsenic, a metalloid listed as one of the top chemical pollutants of concern to human health. Epidemiological and experimental studies link arsenic exposure to the development of cancer and other diseases. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain the effects induced by arsenic. Notably, arsenic and its metabolites interact with proteins by direct binding to individual cysteine residues, cysteine clusters, zinc finger motifs, and RING finger domains. Consequently, arsenic interactions with proteins disrupt the functions of proteins and may lead to the development and progression of diseases. In this review, we focus on current evidence in the literature that implicates the interaction of arsenic with proteins as a mechanism of arsenic toxicity. Data show that arsenic-protein interactions affect multiple cellular processes and alter epigenetic regulation, cause endocrine disruption, inhibit DNA damage repair mechanisms, and deregulate gene expression, among other adverse effects. Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Citation

Cristian A Vergara-Gerónimo, Alfonso León Del Río, Mauricio Rodríguez-Dorantes, Patricia Ostrosky-Wegman, Ana María Salazar. Arsenic-protein interactions as a mechanism of arsenic toxicity. Toxicology and applied pharmacology. 2021 Nov 15;431:115738