title: Genetic influences on the retention of inorganic mercury.
abstract: Mercury is eliminated as glutathione (GSH) conjugates. GSH production is mediated by glutamyl-cysteine ligase (GCL), and conjugation by glutathione S-transferases (GST). This study tested if polymorphisms in GCL and GST genes modify mercury retention in humans exposed to elemental mercury vapor. Total mercury concentrations in whole blood, plasma and urine, and genotypes for GCLC, GCLM, GSTA1, GSTM1, GSTP1, and GSTT1 were determined in 309 gold miners, gold buyers and controls. The presence of the GCLM-588T allele was associated with increased blood, plasma and urine mercury levels. These results indicate that genotypes with decreased GSH availability for mercury conjugation affect the metabolism of inorganic mercury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Hipolito M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Custodio
authors.forename: Raul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Harari
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gerhardsson
authors.forename: Staffan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Skerfving
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Broberg
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000097:blood* / Q000633:toxicity / Q000652:urine*; D004484:Ecuador; D005838:Genotype; D005721:Glutamate-Cysteine Ligase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006046:Gold; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008628:Mercury / Q000097:blood* / Q000633:toxicity / Q000652:urine*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008906:Mining; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D006046:Gold; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; D005721:Glutamate-Cysteine Ligase; D008628:Mercury