title: Methylmercury neurotoxicity is associated with inhibition of the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase.
abstract: In this study, we investigated the involvement of glutathione peroxidase-GPx in methylmercury (MeHg)-induced toxicity using three models: (a) in mouse brain after treatment with MeHg (40 mg/L in drinking water), (b) in mouse brain mitochondrial-enriched fractions isolated from MeHg-treated animals, and (c) in cultured human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. First, adult male Swiss mice exposed to MeHg for 21 days showed a significant decrease in GPx activity in the brain and an increase in poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage, an index of apoptosis. Second, in mitochondrial-enriched fractions isolated from MeHg-treated mice, there was a significant reduction in GPx activity and a concomitant decrease in mitochondrial activity and increases in ROS formation and lipid peroxidation. Incubation of mitochondrial-enriched fractions with mercaptosuccinic acid, a GPx inhibitor, significantly augmented the toxic effects of MeHg administered in vivo. Incubation of mitochondrial-enriched fractions with exogenous GPx completely blocked MeHg-induced mitochondrial lipid peroxidation. Third, SH-SY5Y cells treated for 24 h with MeHg showed a significant reduction in GPx activity. There was a concomitant significant decrease in cell viability and increase in apoptosis. Inhibition of GPx substantially enhanced MeHg toxicity in the SH-SY5Y cells. These results suggest that GPx is an important target for MeHg-induced neurotoxicity, presumably because this enzyme is essential for counteracting the pro-oxidative effects of MeHg both in vitro and in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC 88040-900, Brazil. jefersonbio@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Jeferson L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.forename: Thaís
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Posser
authors.forename: Peter R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Dunkley
authors.forename: Phillip W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Dickson
authors.forename: Jacó J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Mattos
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Afonso C D
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Bainy
authors.forename: Maria R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Marques
authors.forename: Alcir L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Dafre
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Farina
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds / Q000633:toxicity; D051379:Mice; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011065:Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D013870:Thiomalates / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D008767:Methylmercury Compounds; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D013870:Thiomalates; C046062:2-thiomalic acid; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D011065:Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases