Toxic Mechanisms of Five Heavy Metals: Mercury, Lead, Chromium, Cadmium, and Arsenic

Title	Toxic Mechanisms of Five Heavy Metals: Mercury, Lead, Chromium, Cadmium, and Arsenic
Authors	Mahdi Balali-Mood, Kobra Naseri, Zoya Tahergorabi, Mohammad Reza Khazdair, Mahmood Sadeghi
Magazine	Frontiers in Pharmacology
Date	04/13/2021
DOI	10.3389/fphar.2021.643972
Introduction	Over the last century, industrial expansion has significantly elevated human exposure to heavy metals. Mercury, lead, chromium, cadmium, and arsenic are prominent heavy metals linked to human poisonings. This review examines the mechanistic actions of these metals, drawing from existing animal and human research. Exposure through water, air, and food can result in acute or chronic poisoning. These heavy metals bioaccumulate, causing diverse adverse effects across various bodily tissues and organs. They interfere with crucial cellular processes such as growth, proliferation, differentiation, damage repair, and apoptosis. A comparative analysis of their actions indicates shared toxicity pathways, including reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, compromised antioxidant defenses, enzyme inhibition, and oxidative stress. Additionally, some metals exhibit selective binding to specific macromolecules; for instance, lead interacts with aminolevulinic acid dehydratase and ferrochelatase. Interactions of other heavy metals with particular proteins are also discussed. Toxic metals such as chromium, cadmium, and arsenic induce genomic instability. Impaired DNA repair mechanisms, subsequent to oxidative stress and DNA damage caused by these three metals, are implicated in their carcinogenicity. Despite current understanding of heavy metal hazards, poisoning incidents persist, underscoring the need for preventative measures and effective treatments. Future considerations include the role of chelation therapy in managing metal poisoning.
Quote	Mahdi Balali-Mood, Kobra Naseri and Zoya Tahergorabi et al. Toxic Mechanisms of Five Heavy Metals: Mercury, Lead, Chromium, Cadmium, and Arsenic. Front Pharmacol. 2021. Vol. 12. DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.643972
Element	Arsenic (As) , Chromium (Cr) , Mercury (Hg)
Industry	Chemical & Pharmacy , Pharmaceutical Industry , Research & Laboratory