Exposure to low dose of cinnabar (a naturally occurring mercuric sulfide (HgS)) caused neurotoxicological effects in offspring mice.
Cinnabar, a naturally occurring mercuric sulfide (HgS), has long been used in Chinese mineral medicine for more than 2000 years. Although mercury is well-known for its toxicity, whether cinnabar induces neurotoxicity, especially in infants and children, is unknown. The purpose of this study was to explore the neurotoxic effects of low-dose of cinnabar (10 mg/kg/day) on developing mice. The results revealed neurobehavioral defects in F1-C-Cin group, which were associated with Hg accumulation, increased NO(x) levels in whole blood, and Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase activities in brain tissues. F1- and F2-Cin-V groups were found to increase brain Hg contents and prominent neurobehavioral defects compared with F1-C-V group, suggesting that the fetal brain was more susceptible to irreversible effects for cinnabar-induced damage. Moreover, F1- and F2-Cin-Cin groups had severely neurobehavioral dysfunctions, closely correlated with the further alteration of NO(x) levels and Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase activities than F1- and F2-C-Cin groups. Effects in F2-Cin-Cin group were more significant than those in F1-Cin-Cin group. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that exposure to low-dose of cinnabar during the perinatal and developmental stages results in irreversible and severe injuries of the neurotoxicity in offspring, and NO(x) and Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase activities may exist potential and useful biomarkers for neurotoxicity-induced by low-doses of mercuric compounds.
School of Chinese Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, No. 91 Hsueh-Shih Road, Taichung 404, Taiwan.
Chun-Fa
CF
Huang
Chuan-Jen
CJ
Hsu
Shing-Hwa
SH
Liu
Shoei-Yn
SY
Lin-Shiau
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001309:Auditory Threshold / Q000187:drug effects; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D006309:Hearing / Q000187:drug effects; D008098:Litter Size; D008124:Locomotion / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008628:Mercury / Q000097:blood; D017669:Mercury Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000633:toxicity*; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009420:Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology*; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000633:toxicity*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
D017669:Mercury Compounds; D009498:Neurotoxins; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase; D008628:Mercury; C034211:cinnabar