title: Effects of mercury on glutathione and glutathione-dependent enzymes in hares (Lepus europaeus Pallas).
abstract: The aim of this study was to analyze and evaluate risks of long-term exposure to mercury in hares (Lepus europaeus Pallas), with a chemical-analytical approach evaluating median mass fraction of toxic mercury in the hares organs (liver, kidney, muscle and brain). To obtain better insight into possible effects of mercury, the study included screening of the oxidative status after long term exposure to low concentrations of mercury. Hares organs were analyzed for total mercury concentration by AAS. Glutathione and glutathione-dependent enzymes status was also investigated. The median mercury concentrations (wet weight) in the liver, kidney, muscle and brain of the hares ranged from 0.058-0.189, 0.138-0.406, 0.013-0.046 and 0.022-0.102 μg/g respectively. Concentration of the glutathione (GSH), glutathione-peroxidase (GPx), and glutathione-reductase (GR) activity increased with the mercury concentration. However, glutathione S-transferase (GST) and superoxide-dismutase (SOD) activity decreased with the mercury concentration. The results of this study show the impact of environmentally absorbed mercury on the antioxidant status of the examined hares. Further research on long-term exposure to low concentrations of mercury is needed.
authors.affiliation: Teaching Institute of Public Health, Primorsko-Goranska County, Rijeka, Croatia.
authors.forename: Željko
authors.initials: Ž
authors.lastname: Linšak
authors.forename: Dijana Tomić
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Linšak
authors.forename: Zdravko
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Špirić
authors.forename: Emil
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Srebočan
authors.forename: Marin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Glad
authors.forename: Čedomila
authors.initials: Č
authors.lastname: Milin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism*; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism*; D005980:Glutathione Reductase / Q000378:metabolism*; D034621:Hares; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008628:Mercury / Q000633:toxicity*; D009132:Muscles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D005980:Glutathione Reductase; D008628:Mercury; D005978:Glutathione