摘要：

Nickel is well known for its wide industrial and chemical applications. It is naturally found in environment (air, water and soil) at low levels. But through the time increased industrialization and its commercial use have elevated its level in our environment. The workers in nickel refineries are the most exposed to nickel through inhalation of refinery dust containing nickel particles. Nickel exposure is majorly related to increased risk of lung and nasal cancers. Other organ such as kidneys, heart, spleen, liver, tested and breast are also affected at a lower extent. EPA, US (Environmental Protection Agency, United States) has classified nickel refinery dust under Group-A, human carcinogen, and nickel carbonyl under group B2, probable human carcinogen on the basis of various epidemiological studies. From various in vitro and in vivo studies, it is found that oxidative stress, DNA damage, changes in histone methylation patterns, gene expression and interference with DNA repair system are some molecular mechanisms by which nickel induces genotoxicity and carcinogenicity. Carcinogenetic assessment of nickel compounds indicates the close relation of nickel exposure and lung and nasal carcinogenesis. Molecular mechanism of nickel induced carcinogenesis is a very complex process which requires a proper pathway analysis for the benefit of research on nickel induced carcinogenesis and diseases.

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