Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA.
Biomolecules. 2023 Feb 7;13(2):316. doi: 10.3390/biom13020316.
Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic and carcinogenic substance that is present in the natural environment. The underlying biomolecular mechanisms of Cd toxicity are not completely understood, and it continues to be a significant research target due to its impact on public health. The primary routes of exposure are through ingestion of contaminated food and water and inhalation. Cd's long biological half-life of 10-30 years allows it to accumulate in the body, leading to organ dysfunction notably in the kidney, liver, bone, and lungs. Cd has similar biochemical characteristics to Zinc (Zn). It shares the import transporters, ZIP8 and ZIP14, to enter the cells. This competitive behavior can be observed in multiple instances throughout the progression of Cd toxicity. Future studies on the biochemical interactions of Cd and Zn will elucidate the potential protective effects of Zn supplementation in reducing the effects of Cd toxicity. In addition, research can be focused on discovering key proteins and effective pathways for Cd elimination that confer fewer adverse effects than current antioxidant therapies.
镉（Cd）是一种存在于自然环境中的有毒和致癌物质。镉毒性的潜在生物分子机制尚不完全清楚，由于其对公众健康的影响，它仍然是一个重要的研究目标。主要的暴露途径是通过摄入受污染的食物和水以及吸入。镉的长生物半衰期为 10-30 年，允许其在体内积累，导致器官功能障碍，特别是在肾脏、肝脏、骨骼和肺部。镉具有与锌（Zn）相似的生化特性。它共享进口转运蛋白 ZIP8 和 ZIP14 进入细胞。这种竞争行为在镉毒性进展的多个实例中都可以观察到。未来关于镉和锌的生化相互作用的研究将阐明锌补充剂在减少镉毒性影响方面的潜在保护作用。此外，可以专注于发现具有更少不良反应的关键蛋白质和有效的镉消除途径，这些途径比当前的抗氧化治疗更有效。
