Arsenic and Latent Disease Risk: What’s the Mechanism of Action?

Carol Potera, based in Montana, also writes for Microbe, Genetic Engineering News, and the American Journal of Nursing. About This Article open Citation: Potera C. 2016. Arsenic and latent disease risk: what’s the mechanism of action? Environ Health Perspect 124:A36; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.124-A36 Published: 1 February 2016 PDF Version (233 KB) Related EHP Article Mechanisms Underlying Latent Disease Risk Associated with Early-Life Arsenic Exposure: Current Research Trends and Scientific Gaps Kathryn A. Bailey, Allan H. Smith, Erik J. Tokar, Joseph H. Graziano, Kyoung-Woong Kim, Panida Navasumrit, Mathuros Ruchirawat, Apinya Thiantanawat, William A. Suk, and Rebecca C. Fry There is evidence that people exposed early in life to arsenic-tainted drinking water may be at risk for a variety of diseases in adulthood. For instance, studies of Chileans exposed to contaminated water prenatally or in childhood showed increased risk of death from kidney, lung, and liver cancers by their 30s and 40s.1 However, the mechanisms by which arsenic may act are obscured by the complexity of these and other diseases and exposures involved. A commentary in this issue of EHP discusses potential molecular mechanisms by which arsenic may induce latent diseases that appear long after exposure.2 One hypothesis discussed is that epigenetic changes, such as DNA methylation, alter gene expression and increase disease susceptibility. In one study, newborn mice exposed to arsenic levels kno...
Source: EHP Research - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: Featured News Science Selection February 2016 Source Type: research