Effect on MAPK Signal Path of Lead, Nickel, Mercury, Cadmium and Chromium in Breast Cancer Cell Line

Abstract

The harms of heavy metals such as cadmium and lead on human health have been identified in the literature. However, genetic mechanisms that show the relationship between heavy metals and cancer have not been identified up to now. In the proposed project, the effects of lead, nickel, mercury, cadmium, and chrome on the expression levels of mitogen-activated protein kinase signal transduction pathways in breast cancer cell lines will be quantified by the Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction method, comparatively. Mitogen-activated protein kinase signal transduction pathway, found in eukaryotic organisms, plays a significant role in information transfer from the cell membrane to the nucleus. Genes in this signal transfer regulate embryogenesis, reproduction, diversification, survival, and apoptosis functions. Most of these genes are well-known oncogenes and each of these is an important subject in cancer treatment. The changes of gene expression levels in this transduction pathway can be the reason of breast and some other cancer types. According to the findings, when the heavy metal-treated cells were compared with the heavy metal-untreated cells, significant changes were observed in the level of expression of 47 genes in the signal pathway. It has been determined that heavy metals cause changes in the expression level of genes in the signaling pathway according to the obtained data.