Advanced search×

Aluminium and lead: molecular mechanisms of brain toxicity.

Sandra V SV Verstraeten, Lucila L Aimo, and Patricia I PI Oteiza

Arch Toxicol 82(11):789-802 (2008) PMID 18668223

The fact that aluminium (Al) and lead (Pb) are both toxic metals to living organisms, including human beings, was discovered a long time ago. Even when Al and Pb can reach and accumulate in almost every organ in the human body, the central nervous system is a particular target of the deleterious effects of both metals. Select human population can be at risk of Al neurotoxicity, and Al is proposed to be involved in the etiology of neurodegenerative diseases. Pb is a widespread environmental hazard, and the neurotoxic effects of Pb are a major public health concern. In spite of the numerous efforts and the accumulating evidence in this area of research, the mechanisms of Al and Pb neurotoxicity are still not completely elucidated. This review will particularly address the involvement of oxidative stress, membrane biophysics alterations, deregulation of cell signaling, and the impairment of neurotransmission as key aspects involved Al and Pb neurotoxicity.

DOI: 10.1007/s00204-008-0345-3
Version: za2963e q8za3 q8zbf q8zc8 q8zd6 q8ze9 q8zf8 q8zg0

Similar articles you may find interesting…

  1. Longitudinal and cross-sectional factors associated with long-term clinical course in functional dyspepsia: a 5-year follow-up study.
    Sébastien Kindt, Lukas Van Oudenhove, ... Jan Tack

    Am J Gastroenterol 106(2):340-8 (2011) PMID 20978482

    Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a heterogeneous disorder with different pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the symptom pattern, but little is known about its clinical course. The aims of this study were to study the long-term evolution of symptoms in a clinical FD population and to identify facto...
  2. The allergic cascade: Review of the most important molecules in the asthmatic lung
    Karolien Bloemen, Sandra Verstraelen, ... Greet Schoeters

    Immunol Lett 113(1):13 (2007) PMID 17765979

    Asthma is the most common chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways among children. It is a complex clinical disease characterized by airway obstruction, airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness to a variety of stimuli. The development of allergic asthma exists of three phases, namely t...
  3. Gene expression signatures in CD34+-progenitor-derived dendritic cells exposed to the chemical contact allergen nickel sulfate
    Elke E Schoeters, Jean-Marie JM Nuijten, ... Geert R GR Verheyen

    Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 216(1):19 (2006) PMID 16780908

    We studied changes in gene expression profiles after exposing DCs to the contact allergen nickel sulfate. CD34+-progenitor-derived DCs, initiated from 3 different donors, were exposed to 60 microM nickel sulfate, during 0.5, 1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 h. cDNA microarrays were used to assess the transcriptio...