[Clarification of molecular targets of dioxin toxicity]

Inhalation Exposure to Dioxins Air Pollutant Generated by Dead Body Incineration at Buddhist Temple: Cancer Risk Estimation

Background: Dioxin is accepted as an important toxic chemical that can induce carcinogenesis. The dioxin contamination in air is accepted as an important air pollutant. Apart from the industry, the dioxin in air can be generated by other little mentioned sources. Methods: Here, the authors assessed the cancer risk due to inhalation exposure to dioxins air pollutant generated by dead body incineration at Buddhist temple based on situation in Indochina. Indeed, there are many thousand Buddhist temples in Indochina and the dead body incineration is routinely done at the temple every day and the dioxin generated from this activity is little mentioned. Results: According to this study, the risk of cancer due to exposure to dioxins air pollutant generated by dead body incineration at Buddhist temple is high and should be the issue for proper public health management. Conclusion: Dioxins air pollutant generated by Dead bodyIncineration at Buddhist temple is an important cancer risk for both adult and children living in that area.

Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR): "pioneer member" of the basic-helix/loop/helix per-Arnt-sim (bHLH/PAS) family of "sensors" of foreign and endogenous signals

The basic-helix/loop/helix per-Arnt-sim (bHLH/PAS) family comprises many transcription factors, found throughout all three kingdoms of life; bHLH/PAS members "sense" innumerable intracellular and extracellular "signals" - including endogenous compounds, foreign chemicals, gas molecules, redox potential, photons (light), gravity, heat, and osmotic pressure. These signals then initiate downstream signaling pathways involved in responding to that signal. The term "PAS", abbreviation for "per-Arnt-sim" was first coined in 1991. Although the mouse Arnt gene was not identified until 1991, evidence of its co-transcriptional binding partner, aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), was first reported in 1974 as a "sensor" of foreign chemicals, up-regulating cytochrome P450 family 1 (CYP1) and other enzyme activities that usually metabolize the signaling chemical. Within a few years, AHR was proposed also to participate in inflammation. The mouse [Ah] locus was shown (1973-1989) to be relevant to chemical carcinogenesis, mutagenesis, toxicity and teratogenesis, the mouse Ahr gene was cloned in 1992, and the first Ahr(-/-) knockout mouse line was reported in 1995. After thousands of studies from the early 1970s to present day, we now realize that AHR participates in dozens of signaling pathways involved in critical-life processes, affecting virtually every organ and cell-type in the animal, including many invertebrates.