Climate Stressors and Physiological Dysregulations: Mechanistic Connections to Pathologies.
Hajar HeidariDavid A LawrencePublished in: International journal of environmental research and public health (2023)
This review delves into the complex relationship between environmental factors, their mechanistic cellular and molecular effects, and their significant impact on human health. Climate change is fueled by industrialization and the emission of greenhouse gases and leads to a range of effects, such as the redistribution of disease vectors, higher risks of disease transmission, and shifts in disease patterns. Rising temperatures pose risks to both food supplies and respiratory health. The hypothesis addressed is that environmental stressors including a spectrum of chemical and pathogen exposures as well as physical and psychological influences collectively impact genetics, metabolism, and cellular functions affecting physical and mental health. The objective is to report the mechanistic associations linking environment and health. As environmental stressors intensify, a surge in health conditions, spanning from allergies to neurodegenerative diseases, becomes evident; however, linkage to genetic-altered proteomics is more hidden. Investigations positing that environmental stressors cause mitochondrial dysfunction, metabolic syndrome, and oxidative stress, which affect missense variants and neuro- and immuno-disorders, are reported. These disruptions to homeostasis with dyslipidemia and misfolded and aggregated proteins increase susceptibility to cancers, infections, and autoimmune diseases. Proposed interventions, such as vitamin B supplements and antioxidants, target oxidative stress and may aid mitochondrial respiration and immune balance. The mechanistic interconnections of environmental stressors and disruptions in health need to be unraveled to develop strategies to protect public health.
Keyphrases
- human health
- climate change
- risk assessment
- mental health
- public health
- oxidative stress
- metabolic syndrome
- healthcare
- physical activity
- mass spectrometry
- genome wide
- dna damage
- air pollution
- mental illness
- gene expression
- ischemia reperfusion injury
- insulin resistance
- autism spectrum disorder
- candida albicans
- uric acid
- health promotion
- depressive symptoms
- intellectual disability
- municipal solid waste