Abstract
The transformation of a normal cell to a malignant one is a multifactorial process. Over the last decade, it has been established that redox homeostasis is one of the major factors for cancer initiation and progression. Due to indiscriminate use, toxicants (pesticides, heavy metals, and plastics) enter into different environmental compartments (air, water, and soil), where they accumulate and show various health adversities in an exposed organism, including cancer. Oxidative stress is a prime response in organisms against the exposures to environmental pollutants. Oxidative stress not only generates a constant threat to cellular macromolecules (protein, lipid, and DNA) but also is linked with several cell survival and cell death pathways. Accumulation of oxidative DNA damage leads to genomic instability and encourages mutations; however, cellular stress response attempts to mitigate this damage. Moreover, increased oxidative stress can modulate growth, inflammation, apoptosis, and cell cycle regulation, eventually leading to carcinogenicity. Evidences are available on research database showing the relation between cancer and environmental toxicants. This chapter enlightens various portfolios of toxicants and their impact on carcinogenesis with emphasis on the role of cellular redox status.
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Abbreviations
- 16-HBE:
-
Human bronchial epithelial
- 8-OHdG:
-
8-Oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine
- A549:
-
Adenocarcinomic human alveolar basal epithelial cells
- BEAS-2B:
-
Human bronchial epithelium
- COX2:
-
Cyclooxygenase-2
- DDE:
-
Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene
- DSB:
-
Double strand breaks
- HaCaT:
-
Human keratinocytes
- HIF-1α:
-
Hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha
- HOSE:
-
Human ovary surface epithelial cells
- MAPK:
-
Mitogen-activated protein kinase
- MDA:
-
Malondialdehyde
- miR-21-PDCD4:
-
Programmed cell death 4
- NAC:
-
N-acetyl-cysteine
- NFAT:
-
Nuclear factor of activated T-cells
- NF-κB:
-
Nuclear factor kappa B
- NHEJ:
-
Nonhomologous end joining
- Nkx2.1:
-
NK2 homeobox 1
- Nrf2:
-
Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2
- OSCC:
-
Oral squamous cell carcinoma
- PBDEs:
-
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers
- PCDD/Fs:
-
Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxinsanddibenzo furans
- PCNA:
-
Proliferating cell nuclear antigen
- RNS:
-
Reactive nitrogen species
- ROS:
-
Reactive oxygen species
- Smad2:
-
Mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 2
- SV-HUC-1:
-
Human uroepithelial cells
- TAC:
-
Total antioxidant capacity
- TCDD:
-
2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin
- VEGF:
-
Vascular endothelial growth factor
- β-HCH:
-
β-Hexachlorocyclohexane
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Acknowledgment
We sincerely apologize to all those researchers, whose works have not been discussed in the book chapter due to space restriction. The authors are thankful to the Director, CSIR – Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow, and Nitte University Centre for Science Education and Research, Mangalore. AS thanks Science and Engineering Research Board (ECR/2016/001863). Financial support to JGP and SS from CSIR, as RA and SRF, respectively (Fellowship nos. 09/1257(0001)/2019-EMR-I and 31/29(0291)/2018-EMR-I), are thankfully acknowledged. IITR communication number of the book chapter is 3622.
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Saini, S., Paithankar, J.G., Sharma, A., Kar Chowdhuri, D. (2021). Environmental Toxicants and Carcinogenicity: Role of Oxidative Stress. In: Chakraborti, S., Ray, B.K., Roychowdhury, S. (eds) Handbook of Oxidative Stress in Cancer: Mechanistic Aspects. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-4501-6_35-1
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