Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40362664›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of molecular sciences2025

Mercury Bioaccumulation in Female Breast Cancer Is Associated to CXCR4 Expression.

Francesca Servadei, Rita Bonfiglio, Renata Sisto, Stefano Casciardi, Erica Giacobbi, Maria Paola Scioli, Valeria Palumbo, Claudio Oreste Buonomo, Gerry Melino, Alessandro Mauriello and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in International journal of molecular sciences, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Long-term exposure to PMAir quality, atmosphere, & health · 2026
    Article
  3. Review
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Francesca ServadeiDepartment of Experimental Medicine, Tor Vergata Oncoscience Research (TOR), University of Rome "Tor Vergata", 00133 Rome, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-2619-9153
Rita BonfiglioDepartment of Experimental Medicine, Tor Vergata Oncoscience Research (TOR), University of Rome "Tor Vergata", 00133 Rome, Italy.
Renata SistoDepartment of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, INAIL Research, Monte Porzio Catone, 00078 Rome, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-5086-7003
Stefano CasciardiDepartment of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, INAIL Research, Monte Porzio Catone, 00078 Rome, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-3551-2546
Erica GiacobbiDepartment of Experimental Medicine, Tor Vergata Oncoscience Research (TOR), University of Rome "Tor Vergata", 00133 Rome, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-2582-3527
Maria Paola ScioliDepartment of Experimental Medicine, Tor Vergata Oncoscience Research (TOR), University of Rome "Tor Vergata", 00133 Rome, Italy.
Valeria PalumboDepartment of Experimental Medicine, Tor Vergata Oncoscience Research (TOR), University of Rome "Tor Vergata", 00133 Rome, Italy.
Claudio Oreste BuonomoBreast Unit, Department of Surgical Science, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", 00133 Rome, Italy.
Gerry MelinoDepartment of Experimental Medicine, Tor Vergata Oncoscience Research (TOR), University of Rome "Tor Vergata", 00133 Rome, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-9428-5972
Alessandro MaurielloDepartment of Experimental Medicine, Tor Vergata Oncoscience Research (TOR), University of Rome "Tor Vergata", 00133 Rome, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-7351-5676
Manuel ScimecaDepartment of Experimental Medicine, Tor Vergata Oncoscience Research (TOR), University of Rome "Tor Vergata", 00133 Rome, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-0585-1309

Funding

INAIL BRIC2022 ID68#
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The growing incidence of breast cancer over time suggests that environmental factors might contribute to the underlying causes of the disease. Mercury, a toxic metal classified as a Substance of Very High Concern, accumulates in the body through contaminated food, air, water, and soil, raising concerns about its role in tumor biology. The main aim of this study was to identify the possible associations between in situ mercury bioaccumulation and the molecular features of breast cancer. To achieve this, a total of 26 breast cancer cases were analyzed using an integrated approach that combined DNA and RNA sequencing, histological analysis, and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to assess mercury bioaccumulation. Mercury was detected in 72% of the cases. A significant positive correlation was found between mercury bioaccumulation and CXCR4 expression in breast cancer tissues. Bioinformatic analysis further revealed that CXCR4 expression was significantly higher in metastatic tissues compared to primary tumors. These findings suggest that mercury accumulation may influence tumor biology through the CXCR4-CXCL12 signaling pathway, highlighting a potential mechanism by which mercury contributes to breast cancer progression.

Indexed as

Breast NeoplasmsMercuryReceptors, CXCR4AdultAgedChemokine CXCL12FemaleGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansMiddle AgedSignal TransductionChemokine CXCL12CXCR4 protein, humanMercuryReceptors, CXCR4CXCR4environmental pollutionheavy metalsmercury

Identifiers

PMID40362664
PMCPMC12073024

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.