Mercury modulates interplay between IL-1beta, TNF-alpha, and gap junctional intercellular communication in keratinocytes: mitigation by lycopene.

Gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) is used to control cell proliferation. It is not surprising then that a lack of GJIC (i.e.

Role of tumour necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 1 beta in promoter effect induced by mercury in human keratinocytes.

In the progress of a carcinogenetic process, the promoter effect was seen as the final event able to determine uncontrolled proliferation. The promoter effect begins with an inhibition of gap junctional intercellular communication. Previously we observed an inhibitory effect of Mercury (HgCl2) on Gap Junction Intercellular Communication of Human Keratinocytes in culture.