Affiliations: School of Environmental Science and Engineering,
Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200240, China | College of Environment and Resources, Jilin
University, Changchun 130026, China
Abstract: In order to study the molecular mechanism of injury in rat organs
induced by methylmercury, and the relationship between neurotransmitter and
oxidative damage in the toxicity process of rat injury by methylmercury was
studied. The control group was physiological saline of 0.9%, the concentration
of exposure groups were 5 mg/(kg˙d) and 10 mg/(kg·d) respectively. The
content of AChE, ACh, NOS, NO, MDA, SOD, GSH-Px and GSH in different organs of
rats were determined with conventional methods. The results showed that after
exposure to methylmercury for 7 d, the mercury content in brain of exposure
groups increased clearly and had significant difference compared with the
control group (P < 0.01). In rat's brain, serum, liver and kidney, the
content of ACh and AChE were all decreased; the content of NOS and NO were all
increased; the content of MDA was increased compared with the control group,
the exposure groups had significant difference (P < 0.01); the content of
SOD, GSH and GSH-Px was decreased compared with the control group, the exposure
groups had significant difference (P < 0.01). It could be concluded that
methylmercury did effect the change of neurotransmitter and free radical. They
participated in the toxicity process of injury by methylmercury. The damage of
neurotransmitter maybe cause the chaos of free radical and the chaos of free
radical may also do more damage to neurotransmitter vice versa.
