title: Mercury induces the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase.
abstract: Nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) is a transcription factor that mediates the inducible expression of a variety of genes involved in immune and inflammatory responses. NF-κB activation induces numerous proinflammatory gene products including cytokines, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). The divalent heavy metal mercury has been used for thousands of years. Although mercury is clearly toxic to most mammalian organ systems, especially the immune system, exposure has still increased in some areas of the world. However, the underlying toxic mechanism is not clearly identified. Here, we report biochemical evidence that mercury alone induces NF-κB activation, resulting in the induced expression of COX-2 and iNOS. The results suggest that mercury can induce inflammatory diseases by lowering host defense.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, College of Medical Sciences, Soonchunhyang University, Asan-Si, Chungnam, Korea.
authors.forename: Hye-Jeong
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Hyung-Sun
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Youn
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D008627:Mercuric Chloride / Q000633:toxicity*; D051379:Mice; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D016328:NF-kappa B; D008627:Mercuric Chloride; C496319:NOS2 protein, human; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human