Polimorfismos genéticos relacionados ao risco de contaminação por mercúrio em populações nativas da Amazônia: uma revisão sistemática, metanálise e abordagem funcional

Abstract

Mercury contamination constitutes an important public health problem in the Amazon, especially among traditional populations chronically exposed to the metal through the consumption of contaminated fish. Recent evidence indicates that genetic variability can modulate the toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics of mercury, influencing body retention of the metal and the occurrence of clinical manifestations. In this context, the present study aimed to investigate the relationship between genetic polymorphisms associated with mercury metabolism and the body levels of this metal in Amazonian populations. This is a systematic review combined with meta-analysis and functional gene analysis. The search was conducted in the Google Scholar, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science databases, including studies published up to December 2025. Observational studies conducted in human populations from the Amazon with genotypic data and biomarkers of mercury exposure were included. Methodological quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, and statistical analyses were performed using Review Manager 5.4 software. A total of 15 studies met the eligibility criteria, comprising 3,507 participants from urban, riverside, and indigenous populations. Fifteen genes showed significant association with body mercury levels. In the meta-analysis, the polymorphisms GSTP1 (rs1965), GSTT1 (-/-), and GSTM1 (-/-) showed a trend toward association with higher mercury levels, but without statistical significance. Functional analysis revealed that the identified genes are mainly involved in pathways related to metal metabolism, cellular detoxification, oxidative stress, xenobiotic transport, and modulation of urinary excretion. The findings indicate that genetic variants may influence susceptibility to mercury contamination in Amazonian populations, although limitations such as heterogeneity among studies and reduced sample size still restrict definitive conclusions. It is concluded that the evaluated polymorphisms have potential as biomarkers of vulnerability to mercury, and may support health surveillance strategies and public policies aimed at traditional populations exposed in the Amazon.