title: Nickel impact on human health: An intrinsic disorder perspective.
abstract: The interplay of the presence of nickel and protein disorder in processes affecting human health is the focus of the present review. Many systems involving nickel as either a cofactor or as a toxic contaminant are characterized by large disorder. The role of nickel in the biochemistry of bacterial enzymes is discussed here, covering both the beneficial effects of nickel in the human microbiota as well as the role of nickel-depending bacteria in human pathogenesis. In addition, the hazardous health effects caused by nickel exposure to humans, namely nickel-induced carcinogenesis and allergy, are triggered by non-specific interactions of nickel with macromolecules and formation of reactive compounds that mediate cellular damage. Cellular response to nickel is also related to signal transduction cascades. This review thus highlights the most promising systems for future studies aimed at decreasing the adverse effects of nickel on human health.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Bioinorganic Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna 40127, Italy.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zambelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, University of South Florida, 12901 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., MDC07, Tampa, FL 33612, USA; Laboratory of structural dynamics, stability and folding of proteins, Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia.
authors.forename: Vladimir N
authors.initials: VN
authors.lastname: Uversky
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Bioinorganic Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna 40127, Italy. Electronic address: stefano.ciurli@unibo.it.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ciurli
mesh_terms: D055162:Biocatalysis; D063646:Carcinogenesis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D064267:Intrinsically Disordered Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D064307:Microbiota / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009532:Nickel / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D064267:Intrinsically Disordered Proteins; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D009532:Nickel
keywords: Allergy; Cancer; Human health; Intrinsically disordered proteins; Nickel; Pathogenesis