Identifying Gene Expression Changes Linked to Adverse Effects of Arsenic Exposure
June 17, 2024
The UA SRC Project 2 team, lead by Dr. Xinxin Ding, has published a new paper titled “Tissue-, region-, and gene-specific induction of microsomal epoxide hydrolase expression and activity in the mouse intestine by arsenic in drinking water.”
Consumption of arsenic-contaminated water has been associated with increased risks of various adverse health effects, such as diabetes, in humans. The small intestinal epithelial cells are the main site of absorption of ingested arsenic, but they are not well characterized for arsenic exposure-related changes.
This study identified gene expression changes in the small intestine that may be mechanistically linked to the adverse effects of arsenic exposure and possible interactions between arsenic ingestion and the pharmacokinetics (the movement of drug into, through, and out of the body) of epoxide-containing drugs in vivo (in living organisms). An epoxide is a cyclic ether which contains a three atom ring that approximates an equilateral triangle. The study concludes that further studies of these interactions are warranted.
Publication:
Li H, Fan X, Ding X, Zhang QY. Tissue-, Region-, and Gene-Specific Induction of Microsomal Epoxide Hydrolase Expression and Activity in the Mouse Intestine by Arsenic in Drinking Water. Drug Metab Dispos. 2024 Jun 17;52(7):681-689. doi: 10.1124/dmd.124.001720. PMID: 38719743; PMCID: PMC11185820.