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Molecular Mechanism and Therapeutic Approach of Metal Toxicity

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Toxicology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 August 2025 | Viewed by 1215

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Collegium Medicum, Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University, Wóycickiego 1/3, 01-938 Warsaw, Poland
Interests: Wilson’s disease; copper toxicity; iron toxicity; oxidative stress; inflammation; neurodegeneration; chronobiology; psychoneuroimmunology; cancer immunity
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The latest research increasingly focuses on the critically important role of metals in many processes important for the proper functioning of the human body. Evidence has also been collected on the involvement of metals in the pathogenesis of many diseases, as well as on their impact on the course of diseases and/or the response to treatment. The molecular mechanisms underlying the toxic effects of metals in the context of various human pathologies are becoming increasingly better understood. A thorough understanding of the role and molecular pathways involving metals has become the basis for developing new or improving existing therapeutic strategies.

Therefore, we plan to prepare a Special Issue that presents the current state of knowledge on this topic. This Special Issue is supervised by Prof. Dr. Grażyna Gromadzka and assisted by Ms. Zofia Sorysz (Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University).

Appreciating your knowledge on this topic, we invite you to publish data on the molecular mechanisms of acute and chronic metal toxicity, on the natural defense mechanisms activated in the cells in the settings of metal overload, as well as on the influence of individual factors—including those related to the genetic background—on susceptibility to the toxic effects of metals.

Articles on the association of metals with the risk/course of neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and cancers will be especially welcome.

We also invite you to publish data on traditional and new therapeutic approaches to preventing metal toxicity, including those based on the use of individual chelating agents, as well as modern strategies involving the use of therapy using various chelators acting on different mechanisms, the simultaneous administration of antioxidants, drugs to prevent damage mitochondria, and others.

Various types of publications are welcomed to be submitted, including research papers, up-to-date review articles, and comments. We also invite you to formulate hypotheses, based on existing knowledge, that can serve as inspiration for further research.

Prof. Dr. Grażyna Gromadzka
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • metal toxicity
  • neurodegenerative disease
  • cancer
  • stroke
  • myocardial infarct
  • atherosclerosis
  • cardiovascular disease
  • metal chelators
  • therapeutic approach of metal toxicity
  • cobalt toxicity
  • copper toxicity
  • iron toxicity
  • aluminum toxicity
  • manganese toxicity
  • molybdenum toxicity
  • nickel toxicity
  • zinc toxicity
  • lead toxicity

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

21 pages, 2257 KiB  
Article
Persistent Metabolic Changes Are Induced by 24 h Low-Dose Lead (Pb) Exposure in Zebrafish Embryos
by Gwendolyn Cooper, Ryan North, Tyler Hunt-Smith, James Larson, Madison Rennie, Marguerite L. Bailey, Suzanne Scarlata, Christa S. Merzdorf and Brian Bothner
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(3), 1050; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26031050 - 26 Jan 2025
Viewed by 935
Abstract
Lead (Pb) is a heavy metal associated with a range of toxic effects. Relatively few studies attempt to understand the impact of lead on development from a mechanistic perspective. Danio rerio (zebrafish) embryos are a model organism for studying the developmental consequences of [...] Read more.
Lead (Pb) is a heavy metal associated with a range of toxic effects. Relatively few studies attempt to understand the impact of lead on development from a mechanistic perspective. Danio rerio (zebrafish) embryos are a model organism for studying the developmental consequences of exposure to chemical agents. This study examined the metabolome of developing zebrafish embryos exposed to 5 ppb, 15 ppb, 150 ppb, and 1500 ppb Pb concentrations during the first 24 h post fertilization, followed by 24 h of unexposed development and harvest at 48 h. Untargeted metabolomics and multivariate analysis revealed that various Pb exposures differentially affected the embryonic metabolome. Pathway analyses showed the dysregulation of biopterin, purine, alanine, and aspartate metabolism. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry demonstrated Pb accumulation in embryos. Additionally, decreases in oxidation–reduction ratios were observed in 5–150 ppb groups but not in the 1500 ppb exposure group. This finding, along with several metabolite abundances, suggests a hormetic effect of Pb concentrations on the developing zebrafish metabolome. Together, these data reveal persistent global changes in the embryonic metabolome, pin-point biomarkers for Pb exposure, unveil dose-dependent relationships, and reflect Pb-induced changes in cellular energy. This work highlights aberrant processes and persistent changes underlying low-dose heavy metal exposure during early development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanism and Therapeutic Approach of Metal Toxicity)
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