title: Preventive effect of CuCl₂ on behavioral alterations and mercury accumulation in central nervous system induced by HgCl2 in newborn rats.
abstract: This study investigated the benefits of Cu preexposition on Hg effects on behavioral tests, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and Hg, and essential metal contents in the cerebrum and cerebellum of neonate rats. Wistar rats received (subcutaneous) saline or CuCl2 ·2H2O (6.9 mg/kg/day) when they were 3 to 7 days old and saline or HgCl2 (5.0 mg/kg/day) when they were 8 to 12 days old. Mercury exposure reduced the performance of rats in the negative geotaxis (3-13 days) and beaker test (17-20 days), inhibited cerebellum AChE activity (13 days), increased cerebrum and cerebellum Hg (13 days), cerebrum Cu (13 days), and cerebrum and cerebellum Zn levels (33 days). The performance of rats in the tail immersion and rotarod tests as well as Fe and Mg levels were not altered by treatments. Copper prevented all alterations induced by mercury. These results are important to open a new perspective of prevention and/or therapy for mercury exposure.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica Toxicológica, CCNE, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, 97105-900, RS, Brazil. pereirame@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moraes-Silva
authors.forename: L F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Siqueira
authors.forename: V A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Ineu
authors.forename: T F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Pedroso
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Fonseca
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Pereira
mesh_terms: D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D054022:Cerebrum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D003300:Copper / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008627:Mercuric Chloride / Q000633:toxicity*; D008628:Mercury / Q000378:metabolism*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D008627:Mercuric Chloride; D003300:Copper; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase; D008628:Mercury; C029892:cupric chloride
keywords: Copper; Essential Metal; Mercury; Motor Activity; Neurotoxicity; Newborn Rats