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Arsenic-Induced Diabetes Mellitus

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Encyclopedia of Metalloproteins

Synonyms

Chronic arsenic intoxication impairs glucose homeostasis; Environmental arsenic exposure and diabetes

Definition

Human beings can be exposed to arsenic from a variety of sources. Chronic arsenic exposure can cause skin lesions, neuropathy, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Since the mid-1990s, many epidemiologic studies have shown a potential link between arsenic exposure and diabetes mellitus. Studies from animals and cell cultures have provided a possibility of diabetogenic effects of arsenic by mechanisms resulting in impaired insulin secretion, induction of insulin resistance and reduced cellular glucose transport. Most of these effects may be explained by the basic biochemical properties of arsenic including (1) functional similarity between arsenate and phosphate, (2) high affinity of arsenite to sulfhydryl groups, (3) increased oxidative stress, and (4) interference with gene expression. Factors related to individual susceptibility to arsenic-induced diabetes mellitus...

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Correspondence to Chin-Hsiao Tseng M.D., Ph.D. .

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Tseng, CH. (2013). Arsenic-Induced Diabetes Mellitus. In: Kretsinger, R.H., Uversky, V.N., Permyakov, E.A. (eds) Encyclopedia of Metalloproteins. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-1533-6_464

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