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Carcinogenicity of hexavalent chromium
Reprint requests: Dr John Pierce Wise, Sr., University of Southern Maine, 96 Falmouth St., PO Box 9300 Portland, ME 04104, USA e-mail: John.Wise@usm.maine.edu
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Received: ,
Abstract
Hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)), a commonly used industrial metal, is a well known human lung carcinogen. Epidemiology and animal studies suggest that the particulate Cr(VI) compounds, specifically the water insoluble compounds, are the more potent carcinogens; however, the carcinogenic mechanism remains unknown. Here we summarize recent Cr(VI)-induced human tumour, in vivo, cell culture and in vitro studies and put the data into context with three major paradigms of carcinogenesis: multistage carcinogenesis, genomic instability, and epigenetic modifications. Based on these studies, we propose a mechanism for chromate carcinogenesis that is primarily driven by the genomic instability paradigm.
