title: Selenomethionine protects against neuronal degeneration by methylmercury in the developing rat cerebrum.
abstract: Although many experimental studies have shown that selenium protects against methylmercury (MeHg) toxicity at different end points, the direct interactive effects of selenium and MeHg on neurons in the brain remain unknown. Our goal is to confirm the protective effects of selenium against neuronal degeneration induced by MeHg in the developing postnatal rat brain using a postnatal rat model that is suitable for extrapolating the effects of MeHg to the fetal brain of humans. As an exposure source of selenium, we used selenomethionine (SeMet), a food-originated selenium. Wistar rats of postnatal days 14 were orally administered with vehicle (control), MeHg (8 mg Hg/kg/day), SeMet (2 mg Se/kg/day), or MeHg plus SeMet coexposure for 10 consecutive days. Neuronal degeneration and reactive astrocytosis were observed in the cerebral cortex of the MeHg-group but the symptoms were prevented by coexposure to SeMet. These findings serve as a proof that dietary selenium can directly protect neurons against MeHg toxicity in the mammalian brain, especially in the developing cerebrum.
authors: National Institute for Minamata Disease, Minamata, Kumamoto 867-0008, Japan. sakamoto@nimd.go.jp
authors: Mineshi
authors: M
authors: Sakamoto
authors: Akira
authors: A
authors: Yasutake
authors: Akiyoshi
authors: A
authors: Kakita
authors: Masae
authors: M
authors: Ryufuku
authors: Hing Man
authors: HM
authors: Chan
authors: Megumi
authors: M
authors: Yamamoto
authors: Sanae
authors: S
authors: Oumi
authors: Sayaka
authors: S
authors: Kobayashi
authors: Chiho
authors: C
authors: Watanabe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D054022:Cerebrum / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012645:Selenomethionine / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D008767:Methylmercury Compounds; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D012645:Selenomethionine; C073972:dimethyl mercury