Oxidative mechanism of arsenic toxicity and carcinogenesis

Arsenic is a known toxin and carcinogen that is present in industrial settings and in the environment. The mechanisms of disease initiation and progression are not fully understood. In the last a few years, there has been increasing evidence of the correlation between the generation of reactive oxygen species ( ROS), DNA damage, tumor promotion, and arsenic exposure. This article summarizes the current literature on the arsenic mediated generation of ROS and reactive nitrogen species ( RNS) in various biological systems. This article also discusses the role of ROS and RNS in arsenic- induced DNA damage and activation of oxidative sensitive gene expression.