Abstract 2738: Mechanisms of cadmium carcinogenesis

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Abstract Cadmium is a transition metal and an ubiquitous environmental and industrial pollutant. Laboratory animal studies and epidemiological studies have shown that exposure to cadmium is associated with various organ toxicities and carcinogenic effects. Several national and international regulatory agencies have classified cadmium compounds as carcinogenic to humans. In 2012, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) reviewed the relevant information on cadmium exposure and concluded that there is sufficient evidence in humans for the carcinogenicity of cadmium and its compounds. However, the underlying molecular mechanism(s), especially for the carcinogenicity, are unknown. The mechanisms proposed for carcinogenicity include aberrant gene expression, induction of oxidative DNA damage, stimulation of cell proliferation, malignant cell transformation, inhibition of DNA damage repair, inhibition of apoptosis and epigenetic mechanisms including alteration of DNA methylation. Studies have shown that due to the slow elimination, cadmium is a cumulative toxicant and past exposures could result in toxic effect of the residual metal. To better understand the mechanisms of cadmium carcinogenicity we have reviewed in vitro experimental and in vivo animal studies focused on the proposed mechanisms of carcinogenicity as well as epidemiological evidence on carcinogenicity in lung and kidney following cadmium exposure. Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views and/or policies of the U.S. EPA Citation Format: Raghu G. Nath, BR Sonawane, SV Vulimiri, YS Lin. Mechanisms of cadmium carcinogenesis. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 2738. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-2738