Iron and Carcinogenesis

Iron is an important element for all living beings. It is incorporated in some protein structureswhich are involved in numerous biological activities. Iron ability to switch between twodifferent oxidation states, Fe 2+ and Fe 3+, is a key factor for its critical role in differentorganisms. Despite its importance in the transport of oxygen in living organisms; the potentialdamage results from the interaction between its two molecular forms is also of greatimportance. The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and especially OH • by ironis attributed to DNA, proteins and lipids reactions leading to cell damage and mutations. As aresult, high levels of iron have been determined as a risk factor for cancer.Iron can lead tocarcinogenesis by the involvement in several different pathways. Oxidative stress induced byiron may lead to lipid peroxidation and direct damage to DNA and proteins. It is believed thatexcess iron may also block certain mechanisms that are activated by cells to limit the harmfuleffects of oxidative stress. Furthermore iron is an essential nutrient for cancer cells and it mayfacilitate tumor growth. On the other hand, Epidemiological studies have shown a positivecorrelation between high levels of iron stores and the risk of a wide range of cancers indifferent populations. As a conclusion, Iron reduction can have several anti-cancer effects,including depriving cancerous cells of an essential nutrient, influencing on different stages ofcell cycle.

کلیدواژه ها:

Iron ، Cancer ، Carcinogenesis ، Free Radical ، Oxidative Stress