DataVXAdvanced SciencePaper
journal article·2026-05Open access

Paving the Way to Elucidate Hg's Role in Tumorigenesis

Shouying Li, Rong Zhong, Zhenyang Yu, Hualing Fu, Jin Chen, Jia Wei, Ningwei Zhao, Le Qu, Tiantian Li, Wenli Tang, Huan Zhong

Advanced Science· Volume 13· Issue 30
Publisher pageOpen full text
Source abstract

Abstract

ABSTRACT Tumorigenesis can be induced by diverse environmental carcinogens, with mercury (Hg)—a global pollutant that accumulates in humans throughout life, crosses the blood‐brain and placental barriers, and is poorly excreted—classified as a Group 2B carcinogen; however, its contribution to human tumorigenesis remains insufficiently characterized. This critical knowledge gap stems primarily from confounding effects of human co‐exposure to other carcinogens and detoxifying agents, coupled with unclear correlations along the external exposure‐internal Hg burden‐tumorigenesis continuum due to insufficient organ‐specific Hg data in humans. To improve the understanding of Hg's role in tumorigenesis, we propose a research paradigm that integrates: 1) advancing Hg speciation analysis in human tissues and internal dynamics of Hg through in vivo transformation studies, to map organ‐specific Hg distributions; and 2) constructing a comprehensive database of demographic factors, Hg exposure profiles, and tumor biomarkers for artificial intelligence‐driven analyses to disentangle Hg‐specific effects from confounding factors. Bridging the gap between Hg exposure and tumorigenesis could help identify overlooked tumorigenic factors, advance targeted prevention strategies, and guide decision‐making in environmental and public health, ultimately improving public health outcomes.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline

Research context

OpenAlex topics: Mercury impact and mitigation studies · Heavy Metal Exposure and Toxicity · Arsenic contamination and mitigation

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

School of Environment State Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Green Resource Recycling Nanjing University Nanjing P. R. China

Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Ministry of Education Key Lab of Environment and Health School of Public Health Tongji Medical College Huazhong University of Science and Technology Wuhan P. R. China

State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment Ministry of Education College of Environmental Science and Engineering Tongji University Shanghai P. R. China

Research Center for Eco‐Environmental Sciences China Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing P. R. China

Center For Global Health School of Public Health Nanjing Medical University Nanjing P. R. China

Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Antibody Drug Key Laboratory of Antibody Technique of National Health Commission Nanjing Medical University Nanjing P. R. China

Department of Oncology Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Affiliated Hospital of Medical School Nanjing University Nanjing P. R. China

China Exposomics Institute Shanghai P. R. China

Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine Nanjing P. R. China

Department of Urology Jinling Hospital Affiliated Hospital of Medical School Nanjing University Nanjing P. R. China

National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases National Institute of Environmental Health Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention Beijing P. R. China

China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health National Institute of Environmental Health Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention Beijing P. R. China

China Meteorological Administration Key Laboratory of Meteorological Medicine and Health National Institute of Environmental Health Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention Beijing P. R. China

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China · Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province

References (69)

Show source-provided references
1. Cooper G. M. · 2000
2. 10.1016/j.eehl.2023.08.00310.1016/j.eehl.2023.08.003 ↗
3. 10.3322/caac.2183410.3322/caac.21834 ↗
4. Low‐Dose Chemical Exposure and Cancer
5. Sixty‐eighth World Health Assembly Health and environment: Addressing the health impact of air pollution. World Health Organization https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/254029.
6. 10.1021/es305071v10.1021/es305071v ↗
7. 10.1016/j.eehl.2022.12.00110.1016/j.eehl.2022.12.001 ↗
8. IARC List of Classifications https://monographs.iarc.who.int/list‐of‐classifications.
9. IARC Monographs on the evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans https://inchem.org/documents/iarc/vol58/mono58‐3.html.
10. 10.1002/jnr.1041910.1002/jnr.10419 ↗
11. 10.1093/toxsci/kfs25710.1093/toxsci/kfs257 ↗
12. 10.1007/s00204‐021‐02984‐710.1007/s00204‐021‐02984‐7 ↗
13. 10.3390/antiox1005063010.3390/antiox10050630 ↗
14. 10.1038/s43016‐024‐01049‐z10.1038/s43016‐024‐01049‐z ↗
15. 10.1016/j.envint.2021.10656110.1016/j.envint.2021.106561 ↗
16. 10.1186/1756‐6606‐5‐3010.1186/1756‐6606‐5‐30 ↗
17. 10.1093/toxsci/kfr13410.1093/toxsci/kfr134 ↗
18. 10.1002/jat.359210.1002/jat.3592 ↗
19. 10.1016/j.jtemb.2016.06.00210.1016/j.jtemb.2016.06.002 ↗
20. 10.1016/j.ntt.2014.03.00410.1016/j.ntt.2014.03.004 ↗
21. 10.1016/j.eehl.2024.08.00210.1016/j.eehl.2024.08.002 ↗
22. 10.1038/s41467‐025‐56145‐w10.1038/s41467‐025‐56145‐w ↗
23. 10.1016/j.bbagen.2019.02.00310.1016/j.bbagen.2019.02.003 ↗
24. 10.1038/s41586‐019‐1468‐910.1038/s41586‐019‐1468‐9 ↗
25. 10.1073/pnas.242192112210.1073/pnas.2421921122 ↗
26. 10.1289/ehp.814014310.1289/ehp.8140143 ↗
27. 10.1016/j.urolonc.2021.11.01710.1016/j.urolonc.2021.11.017 ↗
28. 10.1016/j.jtemb.2023.12723410.1016/j.jtemb.2023.127234 ↗
29. 10.1158/1055‐9965.EPI‐19‐021410.1158/1055‐9965.EPI‐19‐0214 ↗
30. Cancer Mortality in Mercury Miners
31. 10.1111/bjd.1879710.1111/bjd.18797 ↗
32. 10.1080/09513590.2019.162208910.1080/09513590.2019.1622089 ↗
33. 10.1016/j.tox.2004.09.00710.1016/j.tox.2004.09.007 ↗
34. 10.1289/ehp.02110s585910.1289/ehp.02110s5859 ↗
35. 10.1002/advs.20230692910.1002/advs.202306929 ↗
36. 10.1016/j.dnarep.2017.02.00510.1016/j.dnarep.2017.02.005 ↗
37. 10.1210/en.2002‐22105410.1210/en.2002‐221054 ↗
38. 10.1046/j.1365‐3083.1999.00590.x10.1046/j.1365‐3083.1999.00590.x ↗
39. 10.1021/acsomega.3c0704710.1021/acsomega.3c07047 ↗
40. 10.1007/s10661‐023‐11399‐z10.1007/s10661‐023‐11399‐z ↗
41. How People Are Exposed to Mercury https://www.epa.gov/mercury/how‐people‐are‐exposed‐mercury.
42. 10.1016/j.neuro.2020.09.02010.1016/j.neuro.2020.09.020 ↗
43. 10.1016/j.jtemb.2014.04.01010.1016/j.jtemb.2014.04.010 ↗
44. 10.1023/A:100884920868610.1023/A:1008849208686 ↗
45. 10.1016/j.cbi.2014.10.03410.1016/j.cbi.2014.10.034 ↗
46. 10.1360/03yc004210.1360/03yc0042 ↗
47. 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.16869010.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168690 ↗
48. 10.1021/acs.est.0c0494810.1021/acs.est.0c04948 ↗
49. 10.1186/1476‐069X‐6‐3010.1186/1476‐069X‐6‐30 ↗
50. 10.3390/ijerph12101348210.3390/ijerph121013482 ↗
51. 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.03.36710.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.03.367 ↗
52. 10.1016/0005‐2744(78)90055‐410.1016/0005‐2744(78)90055‐4 ↗
53. 10.1080/00039896.1987.993579110.1080/00039896.1987.9935791 ↗
54. 10.1111/j.1600‐0773.1984.tb01977.x10.1111/j.1600‐0773.1984.tb01977.x ↗
55. 10.1002/jbt.257001010710.1002/jbt.2570010107 ↗
56. 10.1016/0006‐2952(78)90122‐310.1016/0006‐2952(78)90122‐3 ↗
57. 10.1021/acs.est.5b0019510.1021/acs.est.5b00195 ↗
58. 10.1016/j.envres.2021.11180010.1016/j.envres.2021.111800 ↗
59. 10.1007/s11270‐015‐2313‐x10.1007/s11270‐015‐2313‐x ↗
60. 10.3200/AEOH.59.1.50‐5410.3200/AEOH.59.1.50‐54 ↗
61. 10.1016/j.jtemb.2012.02.00410.1016/j.jtemb.2012.02.004 ↗
62. 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.12515810.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.125158 ↗
63. 10.1093/jat/11.4.13710.1093/jat/11.4.137 ↗
64. How Your Information and Samples Have Been Used https://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk/taking‐part/your‐contribution/how‐your‐information‐and‐samples‐have‐been‐used/.
65. 10.1016/j.trecan.2023.10.00610.1016/j.trecan.2023.10.006 ↗
66. 10.1038/s41586‐024‐08167‐510.1038/s41586‐024‐08167‐5 ↗
67. 10.1021/acs.est.9b0358110.1021/acs.est.9b03581 ↗
68. 10.1021/cr300045n10.1021/cr300045n ↗
69. 10.1016/S0140‐6736(22)01438‐610.1016/S0140‐6736(22)01438‐6 ↗