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Record Information
Version 1.0
Creation Date 2009-03-06 18:58:14 UTC
Update Date 2013-04-25 08:33:12 UTC
Accession Number T3D0187
Identification
Common Name Aluminum
Description Aluminum is the most abundant metal in the earth’s crust. It is always found combined with other elements such as oxygen, silicon, and fluorine. Aluminium is extracted from aluminum-containing minerals such as bauxite ore. Small amounts of aluminum can be found dissolved in water. It is often mixed with small amounts of other metals to form aluminum alloys, which are stronger and harder. Aluminum compounds have many different uses, for example, as alums in water-treatment and alumina in abrasives and furnace linings. They are also found in consumer products such as antacids, astringents, buffered aspirin, food additives, cosmetics, and antiperspirants. Aluminum is used for beverage cans, pots and pans, airplanes, siding and roofing, and foil. (R1128, R1129)
Compound Type
  • Inorganic Compound
  • Metal
  • Aluminum Compound
  • Cosmetic Toxin
Chemical Structure
Thumb
Synonyms
  1. Alaun [german]
  2. Alloy
  3. Alugel
  4. Alum (potassium)
  5. Alumen
  6. Alumen crudum
  7. Alumina
  8. Aluminio
  9. Aluminium
  10. Aluminium bronze
  11. Aluminium flake
  12. Aluminium metallicum
  13. Aluminium muriaticum
  14. Aluminium powder
  15. Aluminium, elementar
  16. Aluminum dust
  17. Aluminum metal
  18. Aluminum metal, alkyls
  19. Aluminum powder
  20. Aluminum pyro powders
  21. Aluminum, elemental
  22. Aluminum, pyro powders
  23. Aluminum, welding fumes
  24. Expasyl
Chemical Formula Al
Average Molecular Weight 26.9815386
Monoisotopic Molecular Weight 26.981538441
Chemical IUPAC Name
aluminium(3+)
CAS Registry Number 7429-90-5
SMILES
[Al+3]
InChI Identifier
InChI=1S/Al/q+3
InChI Key InChIKey=REDXJYDRNCIFBQ-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Chemical Taxonomy
Kingdom Inorganic Compounds
Super Class Homogeneous Metal Compounds
Class Homogeneous Post-transition Metal Compounds
Sub Class Not Available
Direct Parent Homogeneous Post-transition Metal Compounds
Alternative Parents Not Available
Molecular Framework Acyclic Compounds
Substituents Not Available
External Descriptors
  • a cation(Cyc)
  • monoatomic trication(ChEBI)
  • aluminium cation(ChEBI)
  • monoatomic aluminium(ChEBI)
DrugBank ID Not Available
PubChem Compound ID 5359268 Link_out
KEGG ID C06264 Link_out
UniProt ID Not Available
OMIM ID 103180 104300 105500 108730 155140 211900 601924 Link_out
ChEBI ID 28984 Link_out
BioCyc ID Not Available
CTD ID D000535 Link_out
Stitch ID Aluminum Link_out
PDB ID Not Available
ACToR ID 7939
Wikipedia Link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminum Link_out
Physical Properties
Appearance Silvery white metallic solid.
Melting Point 660 C
Solubility Not Available
Predicted LogP 1.4499999999999997
Toxicity Profile
Route of Exposure Oral (R1128) ; inhalation (R1128)
Mechanism of Action The main targets of aluminum are the central nervous system and bones. Aluminum binds to dietary phosphorus and impairs gastrointestinal absorption of phosphorus. The decreased phosphate body burden results in osteomalacia and rickets. Aluminum's neurotoxicity is believed to involve different mechanisms. Changes in cytoskeletal protein functions as a result of altered phosphorylation, proteolysis, transport, and synthesis are believed to be one cause. Aluminum may induce neurobehavioral effects by affecting permeability of the blood-brain barrier, cholinergic activity, signal transduction pathways, lipid peroxidation, and impair neuronal glutamate nitric oxide-cyclic GMP pathway, as well as interfere with metabolism of essential trace elements because of similar coordination chemistries and consequent competitive interactions. Aluminum can also interact with estrogen receptors, increasing the expression of estrogen-related genes and contributing to the progression of breast cancer. Certain aluminum salts induce immune responses by activating inflammasomes. (R1128, R1130, R1132)
Metabolism Aluminum is poorly absorbed following oral or inhalation exposure and is essentially not absorbed dermally. The bioavailability of aluminum is strongly influenced by the aluminum compound and the presence of dietary constituents which can complex with aluminum and enhance or inhibit its absorption. Aluminum binds to various ligands in the blood and distributes to every organ, with highest concentrations found in bone and lung tissues. In living organisms, aluminum is believed to exist in four different forms: as free ions, as low-molecular-weight complexes, as physically bound macromolecular complexes, and as covalently bound macromolecular complexes. Absorbed aluminum is excreted principally in the urine and, to a lesser extent, in the bile, while unabsorbed aluminum is excreted in the faeces. (R1128)
Toxicity Values Not Available
Lethal Dose Not Available
Carcinogenicity (IARC Classification) Not Available
Uses/Sources Aluminum is used for beverage cans, pots and pans, airplanes, siding and roofing, and foil. It is often mixed with small amounts of other metals to form aluminum alloys, which are stronger and harder. Aluminum compounds have many different uses, for example, as alums in water-treatment and alumina in abrasives and furnace linings. They are also found in consumer products such as antacids, astringents, buffered aspirin, food additives, cosmetics, and antiperspirants. (R1128, R1129)
Minimum Risk Level Intermediate Oral: 1.0 mg/kg/day (R260) Chronic Oral: 1.0 mg/kg/day (R260)
Health Effects Aluminum targets the nervous system and causes decreased nervous system performance and is associated with altered function of the blood-brain barrier. The accumulation of aluminum in the body may cause bone or brain diseases. High levels of aluminum have been linked to Alzheimer’s disease. A small percentage of people are allergic to aluminium and experience contact dermatitis, digestive disorders, vomiting or other symptoms upon contact or ingestion of products containing aluminium. (R1128, R1129)
Symptoms Inhalating aluminum dust causes coughing and abnormal chest X-rays. A small percentage of people are allergic to aluminium and experience contact dermatitis, digestive disorders, vomiting or other symptoms upon contact or ingestion of products containing aluminium. (R1128, R1129)
Treatment Not Available
References
General References
  • R260 — ATSDR - Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (2001). Minimal Risk Levels (MRLs) for Hazardous Substances. U.S. Public Health Service in collaboration with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). [Link]
  • R1128 — ATSDR - Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (2008). Toxicological profile for aluminum. U.S. Public Health Service in collaboration with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). [Link]
  • R1129 — Wikipedia. Aluminium. Last Updated 16 June 2009. [Link]
  • R1130 — Darbre PD: Metalloestrogens: an emerging class of inorganic xenoestrogens with potential to add to the oestrogenic burden of the human breast. J Appl Toxicol. 2006 May-Jun;26(3):191-7. [16489580 Link_out]
  • R1132 — Aimanianda V, Haensler J, Lacroix-Desmazes S, Kaveri SV, Bayry J: Novel cellular and molecular mechanisms of induction of immune responses by aluminum adjuvants. Trends Pharmacol Sci. 2009 Jun;30(6):287-95. Epub 2009 May 11. [19439372 Link_out]

Targets

1. Phosphorus

Aluminum binds with dietary phosphorus and impairs gastrointestinal absorption of phosphorus. The decreased phosphate body burden results in osteomalacia (softening of the bones due to defective bone mineralization) and rickets. (R1128)
UniProt ID: Phosphorus Link_out
References:
  • R1128 — ATSDR - Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (2008). Toxicological profile for aluminum. U.S. Public Health Service in collaboration with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). [Link]

2. Estrogen receptor

Nuclear hormone receptor. The steroid hormones and their receptors are involved in the regulation of eukaryotic gene expression and affect cellular proliferation and differentiation in target tissues. Ligand-dependent nuclear transactivation involves either direct homodimer binding to a palindromic estrogen response element (ERE) sequence or association with other DNA-binding transcription factors, such as AP-1/c-Jun, c-Fos, ATF-2, Sp1 and Sp3, to mediate ERE-independent signaling. Ligand binding induces a conformational change allowing subsequent or combinatorial association with multiprotein coactivator complexes through LXXLL motifs of their respective components. Mutual transrepression occurs between the estrogen receptor (ER) and NF-kappa-B in a cell-type specific manner. Decreases NF-kappa-B DNA-binding activity and inhibits NF-kappa-B-mediated transcription from the IL6 promoter and displace RELA/p65 and associated coregulators from the promoter. Recruited to the NF-kappa-B response element of the CCL2 and IL8 promoters and can displace CREBBP. Present with NF-kappa-B components RELA/p65 and NFKB1/p50 on ERE sequences. Can also act synergistically with NF-kappa-B to activate transcription involving respective recruitment adjacent response elements; the function involves CREBBP. Can activate the transcriptional activity of TFF1. Also mediates membrane-initiated estrogen signaling involving various kinase cascades. Isoform 3 is involved in activation of NOS3 and endothelial nitric oxide production. Isoforms lacking one or several functional domains are thought to modulate transcriptional activity by competitive ligand or DNA binding and/or heterodimerization with the full length receptor. Isoform 3 can bind to ERE and inhibit isoform 1.

Aluminum can also interact with estrogen receptors, increasing the expression of estrogen-related genes and contributing to the progression of breast cancer. (R1130)
UniProt ID: P03372 Link_out
Gene: ESR1 Link_out
Protein Sequence: FASTA
Gene Sequence: FASTA
SNPs: SNPJam Report Link_out
References:
  • R1130 — Darbre PD: Metalloestrogens: an emerging class of inorganic xenoestrogens with potential to add to the oestrogenic burden of the human breast. J Appl Toxicol. 2006 May-Jun;26(3):191-7. [16489580 Link_out]

3. NACHT, LRR and PYD domains-containing protein 3

May function as an inducer of apoptosis. Interacts selectively with ASC and this complex may function as an upstream activator of NF-kappa-B signaling. Inhibits TNF-alpha induced activation and nuclear translocation of RELA/NF-KB p65. Also inhibits transcriptional activity of RELA. Activates caspase-1 in response to a number of triggers including bacterial or viral infection which leads to processing and release of IL1B and IL18.

Certain aluminum salts induce immune responses by activating the NALP3 inflammasome, which in turn induces the production of interleukins. (R1132)
UniProt ID: Q96P20 Link_out
Gene: NLRP3 Link_out
Protein Sequence: FASTA
Gene Sequence: FASTA
SNPs: SNPJam Report Link_out
References:
  • R1132 — Aimanianda V, Haensler J, Lacroix-Desmazes S, Kaveri SV, Bayry J: Novel cellular and molecular mechanisms of induction of immune responses by aluminum adjuvants. Trends Pharmacol Sci. 2009 Jun;30(6):287-95. Epub 2009 May 11. [19439372 Link_out]