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The Perplexing Paradox of Paraquat: The Case for Host‐Based Susceptibility and Postulated Neurodegenerative Effects
Author(s) -
Jones Byron C.,
Huang Xuemei,
Mailman Richard B.,
Lu Lu,
Williams Robert W.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of biochemical and molecular toxicology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.526
H-Index - 58
eISSN - 1099-0461
pISSN - 1095-6670
DOI - 10.1002/jbt.21552
Subject(s) - paraquat , neurotoxicity , genetic predisposition , disease , biology , host (biology) , bioinformatics , neuroscience , medicine , genetics , computational biology , toxicology , gene , pathology , toxicity , biochemistry
Paraquat is an herbicide used extensively in agriculture and has also been proposed to be a risk factor for Parkinson's disease. To date, experimental, clinical, and epidemiological data on paraquat neurotoxicity have been equivocal. In this short review, we discuss some technical and biological mechanisms that contribute to inconsistencies regarding paraquat neurotoxicity. We hypothesize that individual genetic variations in susceptibility generate major differences in neurotoxic risk and functional outcome. Identifying these heritable sources of variation in host susceptibility, and their role in complex gene–environment interactions, is crucial to identify risk biomarkers and to devise better prevention and treatment for those exposed to paraquat and other potential neurotoxicants.