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Ikpeama EU, Orish CN, Ezejiofor AN, Cirovic A, Cirovic A, Nwaogazie IL, Orisakwe OE. Selenium and zinc protect against heavy metal mixture-induced, olfactory bulb and hippocampal damage by augmenting antioxidant capacity and activation of Nrf2-Hmox-1 signaling in male rats. Int J Neurosci 2025; 135:242-256. [PMID: 38108304 DOI: 10.1080/00207454.2023.2295227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 12/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE/AIM OF THE STUDY Heavy metals and metalloids have been implicated in neurodenerative diseases. Present study has evaluated the potential protective effects of Se and Zn on heavy metals and metalloids mixture-induced (Cd, Pb, Hg and As) toxicity in the hippocampus and olfactory bulb in male rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS Five groups of Wistar rats were randomly divided in to: controls, toxic metals mixture (TMM) exposed rats (PbCl2, 20 mg·kg-1; CdCl2, 1.61 mg·kg-1; HgCl2, 0.40 mg·kg-1 and NaAsO3, 10 mg·kg-1)), TMM + Zn, TMM + Se and TMM-+Zn + Se groups and were orally treated for 60 days. RESULTS We found that in hippocampus and olfactory bulb, TMM generated increased lipid peroxidation and diminished antioxidant capacity. These adverse effects induced by TMM were alleviated by Zn and Se co-treatment; moreover, essential trace elements (Zn and Se) decreased activity of acetylcholinesterase, reduced Cd, Pb, Hg and As bioaccumulation in hippocampus and olfactory bulb and decreased levels of TNF-α in the hippocampus. TMM treated rats had lower levels of Hmox-1 (hippocampus), higher levels of Nrf2 (olfactory bulb and hippocampus) and NF-kB (olfactory bulb). TMM treated rats showed significantly highest time in locating the escape hole. Histopathological examination revealed hypertrophied granule cells in OB of TMM exposed rats. CONCLUSION Zn and Se supplementation can reverse quaternary mixture-induced (Cd, Pb, Hg and As) toxicity in hippocampus and OB in male albino rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelyn U Ikpeama
- World Bank Africa Centre of Excellence in Oilfield Chemicals Research (ACE-CEFOR), University of Port Harcourt, PMB, Port Harcourt, Choba, Nigeria
| | - Chinna N Orish
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Port Harcourt, PMB, Port Harcourt, Choba, Nigeria
| | - Anthonet N Ezejiofor
- African Centre of Excellence for Public Health and Toxicological Research (ACE-PUTOR), University of Port Harcourt, PMB, Port Harcourt, Choba, Nigeria
| | - Ana Cirovic
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Anatomy, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Aleksandar Cirovic
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Anatomy, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Ify L Nwaogazie
- World Bank Africa Centre of Excellence in Oilfield Chemicals Research (ACE-CEFOR), University of Port Harcourt, PMB, Port Harcourt, Choba, Nigeria
| | - Orish E Orisakwe
- African Centre of Excellence for Public Health and Toxicological Research (ACE-PUTOR), University of Port Harcourt, PMB, Port Harcourt, Choba, Nigeria
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2
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Thurston SW, Ruppert D, Korrick SA. A novel approach to assessing the joint effects of mercury and fish consumption on neurodevelopment in the New Bedford Cohort. Am J Epidemiol 2025; 194:172-184. [PMID: 38940366 PMCID: PMC11735962 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwae149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2023] [Revised: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Understanding health risks from methylmercury (MeHg) exposure is complicated by its link to fish consumption, which may confound or modify toxicities. One solution is to include fish intake and a biomarker of MeHg exposure in the same analytical model, but resulting estimates do not reflect the independent impact of accumulated MeHg or fish exposure. In fish-eating populations, this can be addressed by separating MeHg exposure into fish intake and average mercury content of the consumed fish. We assessed the joint association of prenatal MeHg exposure (maternal hair mercury level) and fish intake (among fish-eating mothers) with neurodevelopment in 361 children aged 8 years from the New Bedford Cohort (New Bedford, Massachusetts; born in 1993-1998). Neurodevelopmental assessments used standardized tests of IQ, language, memory, and attention. Covariate-adjusted regression assessed the association of maternal fish consumption, stratified by tertile of estimated average fish mercury level, with neurodevelopment. Associations between maternal fish intake and child outcomes were generally beneficial for those in the lowest average fish mercury tertile but detrimental in the highest average fish mercury tertile, where, for example, each serving of fish was associated with 1.3 fewer correct responses (95% CI, -2.2 to -0.4) on the Boston Naming Test. Standard analyses showed no outcome associations with hair mercury level or fish intake. This article is part of a Special Collection on Environmental Epidemiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally W Thurston
- Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, United States
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, United States
| | - David Ruppert
- School of Operations Research and Information Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, United States
- Department of Statistics and Data Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, United States
| | - Susan A Korrick
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, United States
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, United States
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3
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Li ML, Thackray CP, Lam VWY, Cheung WWL, Sunderland EM. Global fishing patterns amplify human exposures to methylmercury. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2405898121. [PMID: 39312660 PMCID: PMC11459155 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2405898121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 08/23/2024] [Indexed: 09/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Global pollution has exacerbated accumulation of toxicants like methylmercury (MeHg) in seafood. Human exposure to MeHg has been associated with long-term neurodevelopmental delays and impaired cardiovascular health, while many micronutrients in seafood are beneficial to health. The largest MeHg exposure source for many general populations originates from marine fish that are harvested from the global ocean and sold in the commercial seafood market. Here, we use high-resolution catch data for global fisheries and an empirically constrained spatial model for seafood MeHg to examine the spatial origins and magnitudes of MeHg extracted from the ocean. Results suggest that tropical and subtropical fisheries account for >70% of the MeHg extracted from the ocean because they are the major fishing grounds for large pelagic fishes and the natural biogeochemistry in this region facilitates seawater MeHg production. Compounding this issue, micronutrients (selenium and omega-3 fatty acids) are lowest in seafood harvested from warm, low-latitude regions and may be further depleted by future ocean warming. Our results imply that extensive harvests of large pelagic species by industrial fisheries, particularly in the tropics, drive global public health concerns related to MeHg exposure. We estimate that 84 to 99% of subsistence fishing entities globally likely exceed MeHg exposure thresholds based on typical rates of subsistence fish consumption. Results highlight the need for both stringent controls on global pollution and better accounting for human nutrition in fishing choices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mi-Ling Li
- School of Marine Science and Policy, College of Earth, Ocean and Environment, University of Delaware, Newark, DE19711
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering & Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA02138
- Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BCV6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Colin P. Thackray
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering & Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA02138
| | - Vicky W. Y. Lam
- Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BCV6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - William W. L. Cheung
- Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BCV6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Elsie M. Sunderland
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering & Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA02138
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA02115
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4
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Leung JWH, Loan A, Xu Y, Yang G, Wang J, Chan HM. Reduction of Glyoxalase 1 Expression Links Fetal Methylmercury Exposure to Autism Spectrum Disorder Pathogenesis. TOXICS 2024; 12:449. [PMID: 39058101 PMCID: PMC11280772 DOI: 10.3390/toxics12070449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2024] [Revised: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
Glyoxalase 1 (Glo1) is an essential enzyme to detoxify methylglyoxal (MGO), a cytotoxic byproduct of glycolysis. Accumulating studies have shown an important role of Glo1 in regulating cortical development and neurogenesis, potentially contributing to the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) when impaired. We have previously shown that prenatal exposure to non-apoptotic low-dose methylmercury (MeHg), an environmental pollutant, induces premature cortical neurogenesis and ASD-like behaviors in a rodent model. In this study, we aimed to determine the underlying molecular mechanisms that mediate prenatal MeHg-induced premature neuronal differentiation and abnormal neurodevelopment. Using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), we found that prenatal MeHg exposure at a non-apoptotic dose significantly reduced Glo1 gene expression in embryonic cultured radial glia precursors (RGPs). In cultured RGPs, the knockdown of Glo1 expression increased neuronal production at the expense of the cultured RGPs population, while overexpression of Glo1 restored MeHg-induced neuronal differentiation back to normal levels. Furthermore, we found that co-treatment with both MeHg and multiple MGO scavengers or a CREB inhibitor (iCREB) mitigated MeHg-induced premature neuronal differentiation, reinforcing the role of Glo1 and CREB in mediating MeHg-induced neuronal differentiation. Our findings demonstrate a direct link between MeHg exposure and expression of an ASD risk gene Glo1 in cortical development, supporting the important role of gene-environment interaction in contributing to the etiology of neural developmental disorders, such as ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Wai-Hin Leung
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada; (J.W.-H.L.); (A.L.); (Y.X.)
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Allison Loan
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada; (J.W.-H.L.); (A.L.); (Y.X.)
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Yilin Xu
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada; (J.W.-H.L.); (A.L.); (Y.X.)
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Guang Yang
- Department of Medical Genetics, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada;
- Alberta Childrens’ Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Jing Wang
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada; (J.W.-H.L.); (A.L.); (Y.X.)
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Hing Man Chan
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
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Baia-da-Silva DC, Mendes PFS, Silva DCBD, Chemelo VS, Bittencourt LO, Padilha PM, Oriá RB, Aschner M, Lima RR. What does scientometry tell us about mercury toxicology and its biological impairments? Heliyon 2024; 10:e27526. [PMID: 38586377 PMCID: PMC10998116 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2024] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Mercury is a toxic pollutant that poses risks to both human and environmental health, making it a pressing public health concern. This study aimed to summarize the knowledge on mercury toxicology and the biological impairments caused by exposure to mercury in experimental studies and/or diagnosis in humans. The research was conducted on the main collection of Web of Science, employing as a methodological tool a bibliometric analysis. The selected articles were analyzed, and extracted data such as publication year, journal, author, title, number of citations, corresponding author's country, keywords, and the knowledge mapping was performed about the type of study, chemical form of mercury, exposure period, origin of exposure, tissue/fluid of exposure measurement, mercury concentration, evaluation period (age), mercury effect, model experiments, dose, exposure pathway, and time of exposure. The selected articles were published between 1965 and 2021, with Clarkson TW being the most cited author who has also published the most articles. A total of 38% of the publications were from the USA. These studies assessed the prenatal and postnatal effects of mercury, emphasizing the impact of methylmercury on neurodevelopment, including motor and cognitive evaluations, the association between mercury and autism, and an evaluation of its protective effects against mercury toxicity. In observational studies, the blood, umbilical cord, and hair were the most frequently used for measuring mercury levels. Our data analysis reveals that mercury neurotoxicology has been extensively explored, but the association among the outcomes evaluated in experimental studies has yet to be strengthened. Providing metric evidence on what is unexplored allows for new studies that may help governmental and non-governmental organizations develop guidelines and policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daiane Claydes Baia-da-Silva
- Laboratory of Functional and Structural Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Paulo Fernando Santos Mendes
- Laboratory of Functional and Structural Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Diane Cleydes Baia da Silva
- Laboratory of Functional and Structural Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Victória Santos Chemelo
- Laboratory of Functional and Structural Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Leonardo Oliveira Bittencourt
- Laboratory of Functional and Structural Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Pedro Magalhães Padilha
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University, Botucatu, SP, Brazil
| | - Reinaldo Barreto Oriá
- Laboratory of Tissue Healing, Ontogeny and Nutrition, Department of Morphology, School of Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Michael Aschner
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Rafael Rodrigues Lima
- Laboratory of Functional and Structural Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil
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6
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Wesolowska M, Yeates AJ, McSorley EM, Watson GE, van Wijngaarden E, Bodin N, Govinden R, Jean-Baptiste J, Desnousse S, Shamlaye CF, Myers GJ, Strain JJ, Mulhern MS. Dietary selenium and mercury intakes from fish consumption during pregnancy: Seychelles Child Development Study Nutrition Cohort 2. Neurotoxicology 2024; 101:1-5. [PMID: 38135192 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2023.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
Some health agencies have issued precautionary principle fish advisories to pregnant women based on the presence of methylmercury (MeHg) in fish that could possibly be harmful to the developing fetus. Fish, however, is a rich source of selenium (Se) and other nutrients essential for normal brain development. Selenium is also thought to have a key role in alleviating MeHg toxicity. We estimated the dietary Se and MeHg intakes and dietary Se:Hg molar ratios from the fish consumed in a high fish-eating pregnant cohort where no adverse associations of fish consumption and outcomes has been reported. We used dietary data collected as part of the Seychelles Child Development Study Nutrition Cohort 2 (n = 1419). In this cohort 98% of participants consumed fish, with an average intake of 106.2 g per day. Daily Se intakes from fish consumption were 61.6 µg/ d, within the range recommended during pregnancy. The mean dietary Se:Hg molar ratios was 6. These findings demonstrate that fish consumption exposes pregnant Seychellois women to Se in excess of MeHg. Based on these findings, fish consumption, especially fish with Se:Hg ratios above 1, may help pregnant women achieve optimum dietary Se intakes, which may protect against MeHg toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Wesolowska
- Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health, Ulster University, Coleraine BT52 1SA, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
| | - Alison J Yeates
- Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health, Ulster University, Coleraine BT52 1SA, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
| | - Emeir M McSorley
- Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health, Ulster University, Coleraine BT52 1SA, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
| | - Gene E Watson
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, New York, United States
| | | | - Nathalie Bodin
- Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA), Fishing Port, Victoria, Mahé, Republic of Seychelles
| | - Rodney Govinden
- Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA), Fishing Port, Victoria, Mahé, Republic of Seychelles
| | - Juddy Jean-Baptiste
- Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health, Ulster University, Coleraine BT52 1SA, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; The Ministry of Health, Mahé, Republic of Seychelles
| | | | | | - Gary J Myers
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, New York, United States
| | - J J Strain
- Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health, Ulster University, Coleraine BT52 1SA, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
| | - Maria S Mulhern
- Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health, Ulster University, Coleraine BT52 1SA, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
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7
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Wesolowska M, Yeates AJ, McSorley EM, van Wijngaarden E, Shamlaye CF, Myers GJ, Strain JJ, Mulhern MS. Potential role of selenium in modifying the effect of maternal methylmercury exposure on child neurodevelopment - A review. Neurotoxicology 2023; 99:59-69. [PMID: 37659579 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2023.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023]
Abstract
Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element for normal neurodevelopment. It is incorporated into multiple selenoenzymes which have roles in the brain and neurological function, the synthesis of thyroid hormones, the antioxidant defense system, DNA synthesis, and reproduction. Fish is a source of both Se and neurotoxic methylmercury (MeHg). Selenium is known to ameliorate the effects of MeHg in experimental animals, but studies in children exposed to both Se and MeHg through prenatal fish consumption have been inconclusive. Research on Se's implications for pregnancy and child neurodevelopment is limited. The aims of this review are to summarize the literature on the biological roles of Se during pregnancy and the potential role in mitigating the effects of MeHg exposure from fish consumption on human health. This review has shown that Se concentrations among pregnant women globally appear insufficient, with the majority of pregnant women reporting Se concentrations below 70 µg/L during pregnancy. The role of Se in child development and its interactions with MeHg in children are inconclusive. Further investigation of the interaction between Se and MeHg in relation to child neurodevelopment in high fish-eating populations is required to fully elucidate effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Wesolowska
- Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health, Ulster University, Coleraine BT52 1SA, UK
| | - Alison J Yeates
- Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health, Ulster University, Coleraine BT52 1SA, UK
| | - Emeir M McSorley
- Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health, Ulster University, Coleraine BT52 1SA, UK
| | | | | | - Gary J Myers
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, New York, United States
| | - J J Strain
- Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health, Ulster University, Coleraine BT52 1SA, UK
| | - Maria S Mulhern
- Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health, Ulster University, Coleraine BT52 1SA, UK.
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8
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Klus JK, Thurston SW, Myers GJ, Watson GE, Rand MD, Love TM, Yeates AJ, Mulhern MS, McSorley EM, Strain JJ, Shamlaye CF, van Wijngaarden E. Postnatal methylmercury exposure and neurodevelopmental outcomes at 7 years of age in the Seychelles Child Development Study Nutrition Cohort 2. Neurotoxicology 2023; 99:115-119. [PMID: 37832849 PMCID: PMC10842381 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2023.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Consumption of fish yields many nutritional benefits, but also results in exposure to methylmercury (MeHg). The developing brain is known to be particularly susceptible to MeHg toxicity in high doses. However, the potential impact of low-level environmental exposure from fish consumption on children's neurodevelopment remains unclear. METHODS We investigated postnatal MeHg exposure at 7 years and its association with a battery of 17 neurodevelopmental outcomes in a subset of children (n = 376) from 1535 enrolled mother-child pairs in Nutrition Cohort 2 of the Seychelles Child Development Study (SCDS NC2). Each outcome was modeled in relation to postnatal MeHg exposure using linear regression, adjusting for prenatal MeHg exposure, levels of maternal polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), and several other covariates known to be associated with neurodevelopmental outcomes. RESULTS Median postnatal MeHg exposure at 7 years was 2.5 ppm, while the median prenatal MeHg exposure was 3.5 ppm. We found no statistically significant associations between postnatal MeHg exposure and any of the 17 neurodevelopmental outcomes after adjusting for prenatal MeHg exposure and other covariates. CONCLUSIONS These findings are consistent with previous cross-sectional analyses of the SCDS Main Cohort. Continued follow-up of the entire NC2 cohort at later ages with repeated exposure measures is needed to further confirm these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan K Klus
- University of Rochester Medical Center, School of Medicine & Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Sally W Thurston
- University of Rochester Medical Center, School of Medicine & Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Gary J Myers
- University of Rochester Medical Center, School of Medicine & Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Gene E Watson
- University of Rochester Medical Center, School of Medicine & Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Matthew D Rand
- University of Rochester Medical Center, School of Medicine & Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Tanzy M Love
- University of Rochester Medical Center, School of Medicine & Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Alison J Yeates
- Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), Ulster University, Coleraine, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Maria S Mulhern
- Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), Ulster University, Coleraine, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Emeir M McSorley
- Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), Ulster University, Coleraine, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - J J Strain
- Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), Ulster University, Coleraine, Northern Ireland, UK
| | | | - Edwin van Wijngaarden
- University of Rochester Medical Center, School of Medicine & Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA.
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9
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Torrey EF, Simmons W. Mercury and Parkinson's Disease: Promising Leads, but Research Is Needed. PARKINSON'S DISEASE 2023; 2023:4709322. [PMID: 37744289 PMCID: PMC10517869 DOI: 10.1155/2023/4709322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Environmental toxicants are thought to play a major role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. In reviewing the literature on heavy metals known to be toxicants, we noted several recent studies on mercury suggesting a possible role in the etiology of some cases of this disease. We therefore undertook a review of this association, focusing especially on peer-reviewed articles to avoid the bias inherent in much of the literature regarding mercury. For most people, our contemporary exposure to mercury comes from dental amalgam tooth restorations and from eating fish contaminated with mercury. In both cases, mercury is known to get into the brain in utero and at all ages. It remains in the brain for many years and is known to produce permanent neuropsychological deficits. Mercury toxicity can produce tremors and other Parkinsonian clinical symptoms. It can also produce neurochemical and neuropathological changes similar to those found in Parkinson's disease, including the loss of dopamine neurons, degeneration of tubulin and axons, dysfunction of mitochondria, and the aggregation of alpha-synuclein. Relatively few studies have assessed mercury in parkinsonian patients, but almost all reported a statistically significant association. Published studies suggest some promising leads in the relationship between mercury exposure and Parkinson's disease. However, studies of patients are relatively few, and the need for research is clear. A search of Parkinsonian research studies currently funded by the US National Institutes of Health, Parkinson's Foundation, and the Michael J Fox Foundation yielded no studies on mercury. We believe such studies should be supported.
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Affiliation(s)
- E. Fuller Torrey
- The Stanley Medical Research Institute, 9800 Medical Center, Suite C-050, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Wendy Simmons
- The Stanley Medical Research Institute, 9800 Medical Center, Suite C-050, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
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10
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Coe GL, Krout IN, Munro-Ehrlich M, Beamish CR, Vorojeikina D, Colman DR, Boyd EJ, Walk ST, Rand MD. Assessing the role of the gut microbiome in methylmercury demethylation and elimination in humans and gnotobiotic mice. Arch Toxicol 2023; 97:2399-2418. [PMID: 37392210 PMCID: PMC10913183 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-023-03548-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/03/2023]
Abstract
The risk of methylmercury (MeHg) toxicity following ingestion of contaminated foodstuffs (e.g., fish) is directly related to the kinetics of MeHg elimination among individuals. Yet, the factors driving the wide range of inter-individual variability in MeHg elimination within a population are poorly understood. Here, we investigated the relationship between MeHg elimination, gut microbiome demethylation activity, and gut microbiome composition using a coordinated human clinical trial and gnotobiotic mouse modeling approach together with metagenomic sequence analysis. We first observed MeHg elimination half-lives (t1/2) ranging from 28 to 90 days across 27 volunteers. Subsequently, we found that ingestion of a prebiotic induced changes in the gut microbiome and mixed effects (increased, decrease, and no effect) on elimination in these same individuals. Nonetheless, elimination rates were found to correlate with MeHg demethylation activity in cultured stool samples. In mice, attempts to remove the microbiome via generation of germ-free (GF) animals or through antibiotic (Abx) treatment both diminished MeHg demethylation to a similar extent. While both conditions substantially slowed elimination, Abx treatment resulted in significantly slower elimination than the GF condition, indicating an additional role for host-derived factors in supporting elimination. Human fecal microbiomes transplanted to GF mice restored elimination rates to that seen in control mice. Metagenomic sequence analysis of human fecal DNA did not identify genes encoding proteins typically involved in demethylation (e.g., merB, organomercury lyase). However, the abundance of several anaerobic taxa, notably Alistipes onderdonkii, were positively correlated with MeHg elimination. Surprisingly, mono-colonization of GF free mice with A. onderdonkii did not restore MeHg elimination to control levels. Collectively, our findings indicate the human gut microbiome uses a non-conventional pathway of demethylation to increase MeHg elimination that relies on yet to be resolved functions encoded by the gut microbes and the hostClinical Trial NCT04060212, prospectively registered 10/1/2019.
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Affiliation(s)
- Genevieve L Coe
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Ian N Krout
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Mason Munro-Ehrlich
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Catherine R Beamish
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Daria Vorojeikina
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Daniel R Colman
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Eric J Boyd
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Seth T Walk
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Matthew D Rand
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA.
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11
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Dai MQ, Geyman BM, Hu XC, Thackray CP, Sunderland EM. Sociodemographic Disparities in Mercury Exposure from United States Coal-Fired Power Plants. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LETTERS 2023; 10:589-595. [PMID: 37455865 PMCID: PMC10339720 DOI: 10.1021/acs.estlett.3c00216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Hazardous air pollutants emitted by United States (U.S) coal-fired power plants have been controlled by the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) since 2012. Sociodemographic disparities in traditional air pollutant exposures from U.S. power plants are known to occur but have not been evaluated for mercury (Hg), a neurotoxicant that bioaccumulates in food webs. Atmospheric Hg deposition from domestic power plants decreased by 91% across the contiguous U.S. from 6.4 Mg in 2010 to 0.55 Mg in 2020. Prior to MATS, populations living within 5 km of power plants (n = 507) included greater proportions of frequent fish consumers, individuals with low annual income and less than a high school education, and limited English-proficiency households compared to the US general population. These results reinforce a lack of distributional justice in plant siting found in prior work. Significantly greater proportions of low-income individuals lived within 5 km of active facilities in 2020 (n = 277) compared to plants that retired after 2010, suggesting that socioeconomic status may have played a role in retirement. Despite large deposition declines, an end-member scenario for remaining exposures from the largest active power plants for individuals consuming self-caught fish suggests they could still exceed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reference dose for methylmercury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mona Q. Dai
- Harvard
John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States
| | - Benjamin M. Geyman
- Harvard
John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States
| | - Xindi C. Hu
- Mathematica,
Inc., Oakland, California 94612, United States
| | - Colin P. Thackray
- Harvard
John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States
| | - Elsie M. Sunderland
- Harvard
John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States
- Department
of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan
School of Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
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12
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Yin Y, Chen X, Gui Y, Zou J, Wang Q, Qiu L, Fan L, Meng S, Song C. Risk and benefit assessment of potential neurodevelopment effect resulting from consumption of cultured largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) in China. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:89788-89795. [PMID: 35854072 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-22065-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the net effects of dietary consumption on the potential neurodevelopmental effects of largemouth bass (Micropterus Salmoides, simplify as bass) cultured in China, especially when the bait of largemouth bass is changed from iced trash fish to formulated feed. A total of three bait group bass samples were collected from main producing areas during harvest period, including formulated feed group, iced trash fish group, and both group (converting from iced trash fish to formulated feed). Net neurodevelopment value (expressed as intelligence quotient or IQ) was calculated using FAO/WHO deterministic methods and probabilistic assessment model. The results showed net IQ of largemouth bass fed by the three baits groups all showed positive or beneficial neurodevelopmental effects, with the values of 1.55 ± 0.97 (formulated feed group), 3.17 ± 1.76 (iced trash fish group), and 2.65 ± 1.29 (both group) respectively. Bass samples fed with ice trash fish showed the highest neurodevelopmental effect. The present study suggested that more valuable formulated feed should be developed to improve the quality of cultured largemouth bass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuting Yin
- Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xi Chen
- Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China
- Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yuan Gui
- Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jianmin Zou
- Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China
- Laboratory of Quality & Safety Risk Assessment for Aquatic Products On Environmental Factors (Wuxi), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Control of Quality and Safety for Aquatic Products, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, 100141, China
| | - Qian Wang
- Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China
- Laboratory of Quality & Safety Risk Assessment for Aquatic Products On Environmental Factors (Wuxi), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China
| | - Liping Qiu
- Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China
- Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China
- Laboratory of Quality & Safety Risk Assessment for Aquatic Products On Environmental Factors (Wuxi), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Control of Quality and Safety for Aquatic Products, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, 100141, China
| | - Limin Fan
- Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China
- Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China
- Laboratory of Quality & Safety Risk Assessment for Aquatic Products On Environmental Factors (Wuxi), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Control of Quality and Safety for Aquatic Products, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, 100141, China
| | - Shunlong Meng
- Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China
- Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China
- Laboratory of Quality & Safety Risk Assessment for Aquatic Products On Environmental Factors (Wuxi), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Control of Quality and Safety for Aquatic Products, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, 100141, China
| | - Chao Song
- Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China.
- Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China.
- Laboratory of Quality & Safety Risk Assessment for Aquatic Products On Environmental Factors (Wuxi), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Wuxi, 214081, Jiangsu, China.
- Key Laboratory of Control of Quality and Safety for Aquatic Products, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, 100141, China.
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fisheries and Germplasm Resources Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi, 214081, China.
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13
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Kendricks DR, Bhattacharya S, Reed MN, Newland MC. Impacts of Neonatal Methylmercury on Behavioral Flexibility and Learning in Spatial Discrimination Reversal and Visual Signal Detection Tasks. Neurotoxicology 2022; 93:9-21. [PMID: 36055519 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2022.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Early postnatal development in rodents is sensitive to neurotoxic effects of the environmental contaminant, methylmercury. While juvenile and adolescent exposure also produce long-term impairments in behavior, the outcome of neonatal exposure is less understood. Neural development during the neonatal period in rodents is akin to that seen in humans during the third trimester of pregnancy but methylmercury exposure occurring during the neonatal period has not been modeled, partly because breast milk is a poor source of bioavailable methylmercury. To examine this developmental period, male Long-Evans rats were exposed to 0, 80, or 350µg/kg/day methylmercuric chloride from postnatal days 1 to 10, the rodent neonatal period. As adults, behavioral flexibility, attention, memory, and expression of the dopamine transporter in these rats was assessed. Rats exhibited changes in behavioral flexibility assessed in a spatial discrimination reversal procedure. Those rats exposed to the highest dose of methylmercury displayed subtly altered patterns of perseveration compared to control animals. During acquisition of the attention/memory procedure, rats exposed to this dose also had slower acquisition, and achieved lower overall accuracy during training, compared to controls despite neither attention nor memory being affected once the task was acquired. Finally, dopamine transporter expression in the striatum, prefrontal cortex, and hippocampus was unchanged in these adult rats. The results of this study replicate the trend of findings seen with exposure during gestation or during adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dalisa R Kendricks
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Subhrajit Bhattacharya
- Keck Graduate Institute, School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Claremont Colleges, Claremont, CA, USA
| | - Miranda N Reed
- Department of Drug Discovery and Development, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA; Center for Neuroscience Initiative, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
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14
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Sewberath Misser VH, Hindori-Mohangoo AD, Shankar A, Wickliffe JK, Lichtveld MY, Mans DRA. Prenatal Exposure to Mercury, Manganese, and Lead and Adverse Birth Outcomes in Suriname: A Population-Based Birth Cohort Study. TOXICS 2022; 10:464. [PMID: 36006143 PMCID: PMC9414742 DOI: 10.3390/toxics10080464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Globally, adverse birth outcomes are increasingly linked to prenatal exposure to environmental contaminants, such as mercury, manganese, and lead. This study aims to assess an association between prenatal exposure to mercury, manganese, and lead and the occurrence of adverse birth outcomes in 380 pregnant women in Suriname. The numbers of stillbirths, preterm births, low birth weights, and low Apgar scores were determined, as well as blood levels of mercury, manganese, lead, and relevant covariates. Descriptive statistics were calculated using frequency distributions. The associations between mercury, manganese, and lead blood levels, on the one hand, and adverse birth outcomes, on the other hand, were explored using contingency tables, tested with the χ2-test (Fisher's exact test), and expressed with a p value. Multivariate logistic regression models were computed to explore independent associations and expressed as (adjusted) odds ratios (aOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). The findings of this study indicate no statistically significant relationship between blood mercury, manganese, or lead levels and stillbirth, preterm birth, low birth weight, and low Apgar score. However, the covariate diabetes mellitus (aOR 5.58, 95% CI (1.38-22.53)) was independently associated with preterm birth and the covariate hypertension (aOR 2.72, 95% CI (1.081-6.86)) with low birth weight. Nevertheless, the observed high proportions of pregnant women with blood levels of mercury, manganese, and lead above the reference levels values of public health concern warrants environmental health research on risk factors for adverse birth outcomes to develop public health policy interventions to protect pregnant Surinamese women and their newborns from potential long-term effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinoj H. Sewberath Misser
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Anton de Kom University of Suriname, Kernkampweg 5-7, Paramaribo, Suriname
| | - Ashna D. Hindori-Mohangoo
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Foundation for Perinatal Interventions and Research in Suriname (Perisur), Paramaribo, Suriname
| | - Arti Shankar
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Jeffrey K. Wickliffe
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | | | - Dennis R. A. Mans
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Anton de Kom University of Suriname, Kernkampweg 5-7, Paramaribo, Suriname
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15
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Kendricks DR, Boomhower SR, Newland MC. Adolescence as a sensitive period for neurotoxicity: Lifespan developmental effects of methylmercury. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2022; 217:173389. [PMID: 35452710 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2022.173389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Neurotoxicity resulting from the environmental contaminant, methylmercury (MeHg), is a source of concern for many human populations that rely heavily on the consumption of fish and rice as stable ingredients in the diet. The developmental period of exposure is important both to the qualitative effects of MeHg and to the dose required to produce those effects. MeHg exposure during the sensitive prenatal period causes deleterious and long-lasting changes in neurodevelopment at particularly low doses. The effects include a wide host of cognitive and behavioral outcomes expressed in adulthood and sometimes not until aging. However, neurotoxic outcomes of methylmercury when exposure occurs during adolescence are only recently revealing impacts on human populations and animal models. This review examines the current body of work and showcases the sensitivity of adolescence, a period that straddles early development and adulthood, to methylmercury neurotoxicity and the implications such toxicity has in our understanding of methylmercury's effects in human populations and animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dalisa R Kendricks
- Department of Psychology, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United States of America.
| | - Steven R Boomhower
- Gradient, Boston, MA, United States of America; Harvard Division of Continuing Education, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States of America
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16
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Cossa D, Knoery J, Bănaru D, Harmelin-Vivien M, Sonke JE, Hedgecock IM, Bravo AG, Rosati G, Canu D, Horvat M, Sprovieri F, Pirrone N, Heimbürger-Boavida LE. Mediterranean Mercury Assessment 2022: An Updated Budget, Health Consequences, and Research Perspectives. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:3840-3862. [PMID: 35244390 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c03044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) and especially its methylated species (MeHg) are toxic chemicals that contaminate humans via the consumption of seafood. The most recent UNEP Global Mercury Assessment stressed that Mediterranean populations have higher Hg levels than people elsewhere in Europe. The present Critical Review updates current knowledge on the sources, biogeochemical cycling, and mass balance of Hg in the Mediterranean and identifies perspectives for future research especially in the context of global change. Concentrations of Hg in the Western Mediterranean average 0.86 ± 0.27 pmol L-1 in the upper water layer and 1.02 ± 0.12 pmol L-1 in intermediate and deep waters. In the Eastern Mediterranean, Hg measurements are in the same range but are too few to determine any consistent oceanographical pattern. The Mediterranean waters have a high methylation capacity, with MeHg representing up to 86% of the total Hg, and constitute a source of MeHg for the adjacent North Atlantic Ocean. The highest MeHg concentrations are associated with low oxygen water masses, suggesting a microbiological control on Hg methylation, consistent with the identification of hgcA-like genes in Mediterranean waters. MeHg concentrations are twice as high in the waters of the Western Basin compared to the ultra-oligotrophic Eastern Basin waters. This difference appears to be transferred through the food webs and the Hg content in predators to be ultimately controlled by MeHg concentrations of the waters of their foraging zones. Many Mediterranean top-predatory fish still exceed European Union regulatory Hg thresholds. This emphasizes the necessity of monitoring the exposure of Mediterranean populations, to formulate adequate mitigation strategies and recommendations, without advising against seafood consumption. This review also points out other insufficiencies of knowledge of Hg cycling in the Mediterranean Sea, including temporal variations in air-sea exchange, hydrothermal and cold seep inputs, point sources, submarine groundwater discharge, and exchanges between margins and the open sea. Future assessment of global change impacts under the Minamata Convention Hg policy requires long-term observations and dedicated high-resolution Earth System Models for the Mediterranean region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Cossa
- Université Grenoble Alpes, ISTerre, CS 40700, 38058 Grenoble Cedex 9, France
| | - Joël Knoery
- Ifremer, Centre Atlantique de Nantes, BP 44311, 44980 Nantes, France
| | - Daniela Bănaru
- Aix Marseille Université, CNRS/INSU, Université de Toulon, IRD, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO) UM 110, 13288 Marseille, France
| | - Mireille Harmelin-Vivien
- Aix Marseille Université, CNRS/INSU, Université de Toulon, IRD, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO) UM 110, 13288 Marseille, France
| | - Jeroen E Sonke
- Géosciences Environnement Toulouse, CNRS/Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP)/Université de Toulouse, 31400 Toulouse, France
| | - Ian M Hedgecock
- Istituto sull'inquinamento atmosferico, CNR-IIA, 87036 Rende, Italy
| | | | - Ginevra Rosati
- Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisca Sperimentale (OGS), 34010 Trieste, Italy
| | - Donata Canu
- Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisca Sperimentale (OGS), 34010 Trieste, Italy
| | | | | | - Nicola Pirrone
- Istituto sull'inquinamento atmosferico, CNR-IIA, 87036 Rende, Italy
| | - Lars-Eric Heimbürger-Boavida
- Aix Marseille Université, CNRS/INSU, Université de Toulon, IRD, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO) UM 110, 13288 Marseille, France
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17
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Oppenheimer AV, Bellinger DC, Coull BA, Weisskopf MG, Korrick SA. Prenatal exposure to chemical mixtures and working memory among adolescents. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 205:112436. [PMID: 34843721 PMCID: PMC8760169 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.112436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Working memory is the ability to keep information in one's mind and mentally manipulate it. Decrements in working memory play a key role in many behavioral and psychiatric disorders, therefore identifying modifiable environmental risk factors for such decrements is important for mitigating these disorders. There is some evidence that prenatal exposure to individual chemicals may adversely impact working memory among children, but few studies have explored the association of co-exposure to multiple chemicals with this outcome in adolescence, a time when working memory skills undergo substantial development. We investigated the association of organochlorines (DDE, HCB, PCBs) and metals (lead, manganese) measured in cord serum and cord blood, respectively, with working memory measured with the Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning, 2nd Edition among 373 adolescents living near a Superfund site in New Bedford, Massachusetts. We used Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) and linear regression analyses and assessed effect modification by sex and prenatal social disadvantage. In BKMR models, we observed an adverse joint association of the chemical mixture with Verbal, but not Symbolic, Working Memory. In co-exposure and covariate-adjusted linear regression models, a twofold increase in cord blood manganese was associated with lower working memory scaled scores, with a stronger association with Verbal Working Memory (difference = -0.75; 95% CI: -1.29, -0.20 points) compared to Symbolic Working Memory (difference = -0.44; 95% CI: -1.00, 0.12 points). There was little evidence of effect modification by sex and some evidence associating organochlorine pesticides with poorer working memory scores among those with greater prenatal social disadvantage. This study provided evidence of an adverse joint association of a chemical mixture with a verbal working memory task among adolescents, as well as an adverse association of prenatal manganese exposure with working memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna V Oppenheimer
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - David C Bellinger
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Brent A Coull
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Marc G Weisskopf
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Susan A Korrick
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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18
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Philibert A, Fillion M, Da Silva J, Lena TS, Mergler D. Past mercury exposure and current symptoms of nervous system dysfunction in adults of a First Nation community (Canada). Environ Health 2022; 21:34. [PMID: 35292021 PMCID: PMC8925187 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-022-00838-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The watershed in Asubpeeschoseewagong Netum Anishinabek (Grassy Narrows First Nation) territory has been contaminated by mercury (Hg) since 1962, resulting in very high Hg concentrations in fish, central to the community's culture, traditions, economy and diet. Biomarkers of Hg exposure (umbilical cord blood and hair/blood samples), monitored between 1970 and 1997, decreased over time. A recent Grassy Narrows Community Health Assessment (GN-CHA) survey included current symptoms of nervous system dysfunction. The present study aimed to cluster self-reported symptoms and examine their associations with past Hg exposure. METHODS The GN-CHA included 391 adults. Symptom clustering used a two-step segmentation approach. Umbilical cord Hg and/or yearly measurements of equivalent hair Hg were available for 242 participants. Structural Equation Models (SEM) displayed the associations between Hg exposure and clusters, with Hg exposure modelled as a latent variable or in separate variables (prenatal, childhood and having had hair Hg ≥ 5 μg/g at least once over the sampling period). Longitudinal Mixed Effects Models (LMEM) served to examine past hair Hg with respect to clusters. RESULTS A total of 37 symptoms bonded into 6 clusters, representing Extrapyramidal impairment, Sensory impairment, Cranial nerve disturbances, Gross motor impairment, Neuro-cognitive deficits and Affect/Mood disorders. Median Hg concentrations were 5 μg/L (1-78.5) and 1.1 μg/g (0.2-16) for umbilical cord and childhood hair, respectively. More than one-third (36.6%) had hair Hg ≥ 5 μg/g at least once. In SEM, latent Hg was directly associated with Extrapyramidal and Sensory impairment, Cranial nerve disturbances and Affect/Mood disorders. Direct associations were observed for prenatal exposure with Affect/Mood disorders, for childhood exposure with Extrapyramidal impairment and Cranial nerve disturbances, and for hair Hg ≥ 5 μg/g with Extrapyramidal and Sensory impairment. For all clusters, a further association between past Hg exposure and symptom clusters was mediated by diagnosed nervous system disorders. LMEM showed higher past hair Hg among those with higher scores for all clusters, except Affect/Mood disorders. CONCLUSION Our findings provide evidence that in this First Nation community, past Hg exposure from fish consumption was associated with later-life clusters of coexisting symptoms of nervous system dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aline Philibert
- Université du Québec à Montréal, Centre de recherche interdisciplinaire sur le bien-être, la santé, la société et l'environnement (Cinbiose), CP 8888, Succ. Centreville, Montréal, Québec, H3C 3P8, Canada
| | - Myriam Fillion
- Université du Québec à Montréal, Centre de recherche interdisciplinaire sur le bien-être, la santé, la société et l'environnement (Cinbiose), CP 8888, Succ. Centreville, Montréal, Québec, H3C 3P8, Canada
- Département Science et Technologie, Université TÉLUQ, 5800 Saint Denis St, Montréal, Québec, H2S 3L4, Canada
| | - Judy Da Silva
- Grassy Narrows First Nation, General Delivery, P0X 1B0, Grassy Narrows, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Donna Mergler
- Université du Québec à Montréal, Centre de recherche interdisciplinaire sur le bien-être, la santé, la société et l'environnement (Cinbiose), CP 8888, Succ. Centreville, Montréal, Québec, H3C 3P8, Canada.
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19
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Ke T, Tinkov AA, Skalny AV, Bowman AB, Rocha JBT, Santamaria A, Aschner M. Developmental exposure to methylmercury and ADHD, a literature review of epigenetic studies. ENVIRONMENTAL EPIGENETICS 2021; 7:dvab014. [PMID: 34881051 PMCID: PMC8648069 DOI: 10.1093/eep/dvab014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects the competence of academic performance and social wellness in children and adults. The causes of ADHD are unclear. Both genetic and environmental factors contribute to the development of ADHD. The behavioral impairments in ADHD are associated with epigenetic changes in genes that are important for neurodevelopment. Among environmental causes of ADHD, the neurotoxin methylmercury (MeHg) is associated with an increased risk for ADHD. Developing children are susceptible to neurotoxic effects of prenatal MeHg exposure. Human epidemiology studies have shown that prenatal MeHg exposure could invoke epigenetic changes in genes that are involved in ADHD. In addition, the pathogenesis of ADHD involves dopaminergic system, which is a target of developmental MeHg exposure. MeHg-induced alterations in the dopaminergic system have a profound impact on behavioral functions in adults. As a trace level of MeHg (around nM) can induce long-lasting behavioral alterations, potential mechanisms of MeHg-induced functional changes in the dopaminergic system may involve epigenetic mechanisms. Here, we review the relevant evidence on developmental MeHg exposures and the risk for ADHD. We also point out research gaps in understanding environmental causes of ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Ke
- **Correspondence address. Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Forchheimer Building, Room 209, Bronx, NY 10461, USA. Tel: +1 718 430 4047; Fax: +1 718 430 8922; E-mail:
| | - Alexey A Tinkov
- World-Class Research Center “Digital Biodesign and Personalized Healthcare”, IM Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow 119435, Russia
- Laboratory of Ecobiomonitoring and Quality Control, Yaroslavl State University, Yaroslavl 150003, Russia
| | - Antoly V Skalny
- World-Class Research Center “Digital Biodesign and Personalized Healthcare”, IM Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow 119435, Russia
- Laboratory of Medical Elementology, K.G. Razumovsky Moscow State University of Technologies and Management, Moscow 109004, Russia
| | - Aaron B Bowman
- School of Health Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2051, USA
| | - Joao B T Rocha
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Abel Santamaria
- Laboratorio de Aminoácidos Excitadores, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, Mexico City 14269, Mexico
| | - Michael Aschner
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Forchheimer Building, Room 209, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
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Oppenheimer AV, Bellinger DC, Coull BA, Weisskopf MG, Zemplenyi M, Korrick SA. Prenatal Exposure to Chemical Mixtures and Inhibition among Adolescents. TOXICS 2021; 9:311. [PMID: 34822702 PMCID: PMC8619850 DOI: 10.3390/toxics9110311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Inhibition, one of the building blocks of executive function, is the ability to focus one's attention despite interference from external stimuli. It undergoes substantial development during adolescence and may be susceptible to adverse impacts of prenatal exposure to chemical mixtures, yet few studies have explored this association. The New Bedford Cohort (NBC) is a birth cohort of residents living near the New Bedford Harbor Superfund site in Massachusetts. Among adolescents from the NBC, we investigated the association of biomarkers of prenatal exposure to organochlorines (DDE, HCB, PCBs) and metals (Pb, Mn) with inhibition, assessed with the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System Design Fluency (non-verbal task) and Color-Word Interference (verbal task) subtests. An exploratory mixtures analysis using Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) informed a traditional multivariable regression approach. NBC adolescents are diverse with 29% non-white and 31% in a low-income household at birth. Cord serum organochlorine concentrations and cord blood metals concentrations were generally similar to other birth cohorts. In BKMR models, we observed a suggestive adverse association of the chemical mixture with Color-Word Interference but not Design Fluency. In covariate-adjusted linear regression models including all five chemical exposure measures, a doubling of cord blood Mn was associated with poorer Color-Word Interference completion time scaled scores (difference = -0.74; 95% CI: -1.34, -0.14). This study provided evidence of an adverse joint association between prenatal exposure to a five-chemical mixture and verbal inhibition in adolescence with exposure to Mn potentially driving this overall association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna V. Oppenheimer
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (D.C.B.); (B.A.C.); (M.G.W.); (S.A.K.)
| | - David C. Bellinger
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (D.C.B.); (B.A.C.); (M.G.W.); (S.A.K.)
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Brent A. Coull
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (D.C.B.); (B.A.C.); (M.G.W.); (S.A.K.)
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA;
| | - Marc G. Weisskopf
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (D.C.B.); (B.A.C.); (M.G.W.); (S.A.K.)
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Michele Zemplenyi
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA;
| | - Susan A. Korrick
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (D.C.B.); (B.A.C.); (M.G.W.); (S.A.K.)
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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21
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Peppriell AE, Gunderson JT, Krout IN, Vorojeikina D, Rand MD. Latent effects of early-life methylmercury exposure on motor function in Drosophila. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2021; 88:107037. [PMID: 34656729 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2021.107037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Revised: 09/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The developmental toxicant, methylmercury (MeHg), can elicit motor deficits that last well into adulthood. Recent studies using Drosophila showed that the developing musculature is sensitive to high doses of MeHg, where a larval feeding paradigm resulted in compromised myotendinous junction (MTJ) formation during development, by a mechanism involving the NG2 homologue, kon-tiki (kon). Low-dose exposures to MeHg that do not produce muscle pathology during development, nevertheless result in impaired flight behavior later in adult life. The present study evaluated the potential for relatively low-dose exposure to produce latent adult muscle pathology and motor impairments, as assayed by climbing and flight, as well as to evaluate molecular mechanisms that may contribute to motor deficits. Wildtype larvae were fed 0, 2, 2.5, or 5 μM MeHg laden food until eclosion. The effect of 5 μM MeHg on MTJ-related gene expression during pupal development was assessed via quantitative RT-qPCR analysis. Upon eclosion, adults were transferred to standard food bottles for 4, 11, or 30 days prior to motor testing. Survivorship (%) was determined from a subset of 200 flies per treatment. Average climbing speed (cm/s) was quantified 4-days post-eclosion (PE). Flight ability was assayed 11- or 30-days PE by measuring landing height (cm) of flies dropped into an adhesive-lined vertical column. In parallel, total body mercury was measured to estimate the influence of residual MeHg at the time of motor testing. Muscle morphology was assessed using immuno-fluorescence microscopy. Exposure to 5uM MeHg significantly reduced climbing speed, and flight ability 4 and 11 - days PE, respectively. While age-related flight deficits were seen in each sex, flight deficits due to MeHg persisted to 30-day PE timepoints exclusively in males. Expression of kon was upregulated across the window of pupal development essential to establishing adult MTJ. However, experimentally restricting the induction of comparable levels of kon to muscle during the same periods did not recapitulate the flight deficits, indicating that muscle-specific induction of kon alone is not sufficient to contribute to latent flight impairments. Adult flight muscle morphology of 11-day PE flies treated with 5 μM MeHg was indistinct from controls, implying muscle structure is not grossly perturbed to impair flight. Collectively, the current data suggest that developmental exposure to 5 μM MeHg reduces flight ability in each sex at 11 day-PE and that latent deficits at 30-day PE are male-specific. It remains to be determined whether the developing MTJ of Drosophila is a sensitive target of MeHg, and whether or not kon acts in conjunction with additional MTJ factors to constitute a MeHg target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley E Peppriell
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA; ICF International, Durham, NC, USA.
| | - Jakob T Gunderson
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Ian N Krout
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Daria Vorojeikina
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Matthew D Rand
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA
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22
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Li B, Qiao C, Jin X, Chan HM. Characterizing the Low-Dose Effects of Methylmercury on the Early Stages of Embryo Development Using Cultured Human Embryonic Stem Cells. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2021; 129:77007. [PMID: 34328791 PMCID: PMC8323991 DOI: 10.1289/ehp7349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Global concerns of methylmercury (MeHg) exposure have been raised, especially on its effects on pregnant women. Recent epidemiological studies have revealed associations between maternal blood/hair MeHg concentrations, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and developmental deficits. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. OBJECTIVES In this study, we characterized the effects of MeHg exposure on undifferentiated human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and extrapolated the effects to human embryonic development. METHODS hESCs were exposed to 0, 1, 5, 10, 50, 100 or 200nM MeHg for 24 h or 6 d. Cell adherence and colony formation and expansion were examined under the microscope. Cell attachment, viability/proliferation, apoptosis, stress response, cell cycle, autophagy, and expression of cell lineage marker genes and proteins were measured at the end of exposures. RESULTS Our results indicated that exposure to nanomolar concentrations of MeHg was associated with a) higher levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and hemeoxygenase-1 (HO-1), suggesting increased stress and adaptive responses; b) lower cellular adhesion, viability/proliferation, and colony formation and expansion; c) higher levels of apoptosis, reflected by higher cleaved caspase-3 expression and Annexin V binding; d) higher levels of cytoskeleton protein α-tubulin expression; e) higher rates of G1/S phase cell cycle arrest; and f) autophagy inhibition, as shown by a lower LC3BII/LC3BI ratio and accumulation of SQSTM1 (p62). These outcomes were accompanied by higher expressions of self-renewal genes or proteins or both, including OCT4, SOX2, NANOG, and cytokine receptor IL6ST, as well as pluripotency and the cell fate regulator cyclin D1. DISCUSSION These results revealed that under the selection pressure of exposure to low doses of MeHg, some hESCs underwent apoptosis, whereas others adapted and survived with enhanced self-renewal gene expression and specific morphological phenotypes. Findings from the present study provide in vitro evidence that low doses of MeHg adversely affect hESCs when exposed during a period of time that models embryonic pre-, during, and early postimplantation stages. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP7349.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bai Li
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Cunye Qiao
- Biostatistics and Modeling Division, Bureau of Food Surveillance and Science Integration, Food Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch (HPFB), Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Xiaolei Jin
- Regulatory Toxicology Research Division, Bureau of Chemical Safety, Food Directorate, HPFB, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Hing Man Chan
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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23
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Conklin L, Hviid A, Orenstein WA, Pollard AJ, Wharton M, Zuber P. Vaccine safety issues at the turn of the 21st century. BMJ Glob Health 2021; 6:bmjgh-2020-004898. [PMID: 34011504 PMCID: PMC8137241 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2020-004898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Global gains in vaccination coverage during the early 21st century have been threatened by the emergence of antivaccination groups that have questioned the effectiveness of vaccines to generate public distrust of vaccines and immunisation programmes. This manuscript summarises six key topics that have been at the centre of global discussions on vaccine safety during the early 21st century: thiomersal in multi-dose non-live vaccines, aluminium adjuvants used with several non-live vaccines, autism and auto-immune conditions as possible consequences of vaccination, a risk of immune overload with increasing numbers of vaccinations, and detrimental non-specific effects (NSEs) of vaccination. For each topic, we describe the hypothesis behind the public concern, the evidence reviewed by the WHO’s Global Advisory Committee for Vaccine Safety (GACVS) during 1999–2019, and any significant new data that has emerged since GACVS conclusions were made. Although the scientific evidence on these issues overwhelmingly supports the safety of vaccines, communication messages to caregivers and providers need to condense and convey scientific information in an appropriate way to address concerns contributing to vaccine distrust. In addition, there is need for further studies specifically designed to address both positive and negative NSE of vaccination. The role of GACVS will be increasingly important in evaluating the evidence and engaging the global community in promoting and assuring the safety of vaccines in the decades to come as we move into an era in which we use new vaccination platforms, antigens and formulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Conklin
- Global Immunizations Division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Anders Hviid
- Department of Epidemiology Research, Statens Serum Institut, Kobenhavn, Denmark
| | | | - Andrew J Pollard
- Oxford Vaccine Group, Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford, UK
| | - Melinda Wharton
- Immunization Services Division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Patrick Zuber
- Essential Medicines and Health Products, Organisation mondiale de la Sante, Geneve, Switzerland
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24
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Diana Neely M, Xie S, Prince LM, Kim H, Tukker AM, Aschner M, Thimmapuram J, Bowman AB. Single cell RNA sequencing detects persistent cell type- and methylmercury exposure paradigm-specific effects in a human cortical neurodevelopmental model. Food Chem Toxicol 2021; 154:112288. [PMID: 34089799 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2021.112288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The developing human brain is uniquely vulnerable to methylmercury (MeHg) resulting in lasting effects especially in developing cortical structures. Here we assess by single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) persistent effects of developmental MeHg exposure in a differentiating cortical human-induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) model which we exposed to in vivo relevant and non-cytotoxic MeHg (0.1 and 1.0 μM) concentrations. The cultures were exposed continuously for 6 days either once only during days 4-10, a stage representative of neural epithelial- and radial glia cells, or twice on days 4-10 and days 14-20, a somewhat later stage which includes intermediate precursors and early postmitotic neurons. After the completion of MeHg exposure the cultures were differentiated further until day 38 and then assessed for persistent MeHg-induced effects by scRNAseq. We report subtle, but significant changes in the population size of different cortical cell types/stages and cell cycle. We also observe MeHg-dependent differential gene expression and altered biological processes as determined by Gene Ontology analysis. Our data demonstrate that MeHg results in changes in gene expression in human developing cortical neurons that manifest well after cessation of exposure and that these changes are cell type-, developmental stage-, and exposure paradigm-specific.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Diana Neely
- Dept of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Shaojun Xie
- Bioinformatics Core, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Lisa M Prince
- School of Health Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Hyunjin Kim
- School of Health Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Anke M Tukker
- School of Health Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Michael Aschner
- Dept of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | | | - Aaron B Bowman
- Dept of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; School of Health Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
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25
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Sakamoto M, Haraguchi K, Tatsuta N, Nakai K, Nakamura M, Murata K. Plasma and red blood cells distribution of total mercury, inorganic mercury, and selenium in maternal and cord blood from a group of Japanese women. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 196:110896. [PMID: 33640495 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.110896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Fetuses are a high-risk group for methylmercury (MeHg) exposure. The main objective of this study was to compare the characteristic profiles of total mercury (THg), inorganic mercury (IHg), MeHg, and selenium in plasma and red blood cells (RBCs) between maternal and cord blood at parturition collected from a group of Japanese women. Furthermore, correlations of THg in RBCs, which is a biomarker of MeHg, and THg in plasma, which is an IHg exposure biomarker, were examined in maternal and cord blood. Fifty-five pairs of maternal and cord blood samples obtained at parturition were collected from pregnant women in Fukuoka, Japan. THg in RBCs and plasma were significant correlated between maternal and cord blood. THg in RBCs was 13.9 ng/mL for cord and 9.16 ng/mL for maternal blood, with a cord:maternal RBCs ratio for THg of 1.58, suggesting that MeHg is actively transferred from the mother to the fetus via the placenta. THg in plasma showed a positive correlation with THg in RBCs for maternal and cord blood. This result suggests that measuring THg in plasma can overestimate the exposure level to IHg in fish-eating populations. The percentages of IHg in cord plasma and RBCs were 31% and 1.7%, respectively, and those in maternal plasma and RBCs were 46% and 5.9%, respectively. These results suggest that cord blood is rich in MeHg and can easily transfer to the fetal brain. Selenium in cord plasma was 67 ng/mL and that in maternal plasma was 97 ng/mL, with a cord:maternal plasma ratio for Se of 0.69, suggesting that the protective effects of Se against MeHg toxicity in fetuses may be weaker than those expected in adult mothers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mineshi Sakamoto
- National Institute for Minamata Disease, 4058-18 Hama, Minamata City, Kumamoto, 867-0008, Japan.
| | - Koichi Haraguchi
- National Institute for Minamata Disease, 4058-18 Hama, Minamata City, Kumamoto, 867-0008, Japan
| | - Nozomi Tatsuta
- Development and Environmental Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, 980-8575, Japan
| | - Kunihiko Nakai
- Development and Environmental Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, 980-8575, Japan
| | - Masaaki Nakamura
- National Institute for Minamata Disease, 4058-18 Hama, Minamata City, Kumamoto, 867-0008, Japan
| | - Katsuyuki Murata
- Department of Environment and Public Health, Akita University School Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Hondo, Akita, 010-8543, Japan
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26
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Rothenberg SE, Korrick SA, Liu J, Nong Y, Nong H, Hong C, Trinh EP, Jiang X, Biasini FJ, Ouyang F. Maternal methylmercury exposure through rice ingestion and child neurodevelopment in the first three years: a prospective cohort study in rural China. Environ Health 2021; 20:50. [PMID: 33910568 PMCID: PMC8082930 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-021-00732-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rice is an important dietary source for methylmercury; however, rice does not contain the same beneficial nutrients as fish. Our main objective was to assess associations of prenatal methylmercury exposure through rice ingestion with child neurodevelopment in rural China. METHODS Eligible peripartum women were enrolled (n = 391), provided peripartum hair samples, and children's neurodevelopment was assessed at 12 months (n = 264, 68%) and 36 months (n = 190, 48%) using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, 2nd Edition, including the Mental Developmental Index (MDI) and the Psychomotor Developmental Index (PDI). Associations between prenatal methylmercury exposure during the third trimester [log2 maternal hair total mercury (THg)] and child's neurodevelopment were assessed using linear mixed models for repeated measures. RESULTS In adjusted models, a doubling in maternal hair THg corresponded to a 1.3-point decrement in the MDI score [95% confidence interval (CI): - 2.6, - 0.14], and a 1.2-point decrement in the PDI score (95% CI: - 2.6, 0.14). Overall, adverse associations between maternal hair THg and MDI scores attenuated over time. However, associations were robust and stable over time among children whose primary caregiver was their parent(s). During the study follow-up, an increasing proportion of children were raised by grandparents (12 months: 9% versus 36 months: 27%), a trend associated with rural-to-urban parental migration for work. CONCLUSIONS For young children living in rural China, a biomarker of prenatal methylmercury exposure was associated with decrements in cognitive function assessed between 12 and 36 months of age. Changes in the family structure over the study follow-up time interval potentially impacted children's sensitivity to prenatal methylmercury exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Rothenberg
- College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA.
| | - Susan A Korrick
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jihong Liu
- Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Yanfen Nong
- Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Daxin County, China
| | - Hua Nong
- Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Daxin County, China
| | - Chuan Hong
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Eva P Trinh
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
- Present address: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Xu Jiang
- Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
- Present address: Department of Psychological Studies in Education, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Fred J Biasini
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Fengxiu Ouyang
- Ministry of Education and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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27
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Azar J, Yousef MH, El-Fawal HAN, Abdelnaser A. Mercury and Alzheimer's disease: a look at the links and evidence. Metab Brain Dis 2021; 36:361-374. [PMID: 33411216 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-020-00649-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
This review paper investigates a specific environmental-disease interaction between mercury exposure and Alzheimer's disease hallmarks. Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder affecting predominantly the memory of the affected individual. It prevails mostly in the elderly, rendering many factors as possible causative agents, which potentially contribute to the disease pathogenicity cumulatively. Alzheimer's disease affects nearly 50 million people worldwide and is considered one the most devastating diseases not only for the patient, but also for their families and caregivers. Mercury is a common environmental toxin, found in the atmosphere mostly due to human activity, such as coal burning for heating and cooking. Natural release of mercury into the atmosphere occurs by volcanic eruptions, in the form of vapor, or weathering rocks. The most toxic form of mercury to humans is methylmercury, to which humans are exposed to by ingestion of fish. Methylmercury was found to exert its toxic effects on different parts of the human body, with predominance on the brain. There is no safe concentration for mercury in the atmosphere, even trace amounts can elicit harm to humans in the long term. Mercury's effect on Alzheimer's disease hallmarks formation, extracellular senile plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles, has been widely studied. This review demonstrates the involvement of mercury, in its different forms, in the pathway of amyloid beta deposition and tau tangles formation. It aims to understand the link between mercury exposure and Alzheimer's disease so that, in the future, prevention strategies can be applied to halt the progression of this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jihan Azar
- Institute of Global Health and Human Ecology, School of Sciences and Engineering, The American University in Cairo, P.O. Box: 74, New Cairo, Egypt
| | - Mohamed H Yousef
- Biotechnology Graduate Program, School of Sciences and Engineering, The American University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Hassan A N El-Fawal
- Institute of Global Health and Human Ecology, School of Sciences and Engineering, The American University in Cairo, P.O. Box: 74, New Cairo, Egypt
| | - Anwar Abdelnaser
- Institute of Global Health and Human Ecology, School of Sciences and Engineering, The American University in Cairo, P.O. Box: 74, New Cairo, Egypt.
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28
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Pope Q, Rand MD. Variation in Methylmercury Metabolism and Elimination in Humans: Physiological Pharmacokinetic Modeling Highlights the Role of Gut Biotransformation, Skeletal Muscle, and Hair. Toxicol Sci 2021; 180:26-37. [PMID: 33481013 PMCID: PMC7916735 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfaa192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The biological half-life (t1/2) of methylmercury (MeHg) shows considerable individual variability (t1/2 < 30 to > 120 days), highlighting the importance of mechanisms controlling MeHg metabolism and elimination. Building on a prior physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model, we elucidate parameters that have the greatest influence on variability of MeHg t1/2 in the human body. Employing a dataset of parameters for mean organ volumes and blood flow rates appropriate for man and woman (25-35 years) and child (4 - 6 years), we demonstrate model fitness by simulating data from our prior controlled study of MeHg elimination in people. Model predictions give MeHg t1/2 of 46.9, 38.9, and 31.5 days and steady-state blood MeHg of 2.6, 2.6, and 2.3 µg/l in man, woman, and child, respectively, subsequent to a weekly dose of 0.7 µg/kg body weight. The major routes of elimination are biotransformation to inorganic Hg in the gut lumen (73% in adults, 61% in child) and loss of MeHg via excretion within growing hair (13% in adults, 24% in child). Local and global sensitivity analyses of model parameters reveal that variation in biotransformation rate in the gut lumen, and rates of transport between gut lumen and gut tissue, have the greatest influence on MeHg t1/2. Volume and partition coefficients for skeletal muscle (SM) and gut tissue also show significant sensitivity affecting model output of MeHg t1/2. Our results emphasize the role of gut microbiota in MeHg biotransformation, transport kinetics at the level of the gut, and SM mass as moderators of MeHg kinetics in the human body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quintin Pope
- Department of Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14642, USA
| | - Matthew D Rand
- Department of Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14642, USA
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29
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Lozano M, Murcia M, Soler-Blasco R, González L, Iriarte G, Rebagliato M, Lopez-Espinosa MJ, Esplugues A, Ballester F, Llop S. Exposure to mercury among 9-year-old children and neurobehavioural function. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 146:106173. [PMID: 33096466 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Revised: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is an environmental neurotoxicant whose main route of exposure in humans is the consumption of seafood. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between Hg exposure at 9 years old and behaviour assessed at 9 and 11 years old. Study subjects were mother-child pairs participating in the INMA (Environment and Childhood) Project in Valencia (Spain). Total Hg (THg) was measured in hair samples from the children at 9 years old. Behaviour and emotions were assessed at 9 (n = 472) years and 11 (n = 385) years of age using the Child Behaviour Checklist test (CBCL) and the Conners Parents Rating Scale-Revised: Short Form (CPRS-R:S). Furthermore, the attention function was assessed by the Attention Network Test at 11 years old. Socio-demographic, lifestyle and dietary information was collected through questionnaires during pregnancy and childhood. Polymorphism in BDNF, APOE and GSTP1 were genotyped in cord blood DNA. Multivariable negative binomial regression models were built in order to study the association between THg concentrations and the scores obtained by the children at 9 and 11 years old. Effect modification by sex and genetic polymorphisms was assessed. The association between Hg levels and CBCL scores was positive (worse neurobehavioural development) for the CBCL internalizing and total problem scales (Incidence Rate Ratio [95% confidence interval] = 1.07 [1.01, 1.13] and 1.05 [0.99, 1.11], respectively). The association between Hg and the externalizing and total problems CBCL scales and the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) index of the CPRS-R:S was different according to sex, with boys obtaining worse scores with increasing Hg, compared to girls. Statistically significant interactions were also observed for genetic polymorphisms affecting the association between early exposure to Hg and both CBCL and CPRS-R:S scores. In conclusion, postnatal Hg exposure is associated with poorer neurobehavioural development in 9- and 11-year-old children. Sex and the presence of certain genetic polymorphisms modified this association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Lozano
- Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Food Sciences, Toxicology and Forensic Medicine Department, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Mario Murcia
- Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain; Servicio de Análisis de Sistemas de Información Sanitaria, Conselleria de Sanitat, Generalitat Valenciana, Valencia, Spain
| | - Raquel Soler-Blasco
- Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Llúcia González
- Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Gorka Iriarte
- Laboratorio de Salud Pública, Alava, Vitoria Gasteiz, Spain
| | - Marisa Rebagliato
- Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain; Department of Medicine, Universitat Jaume I, Castelló, Spain
| | - Maria-Jose Lopez-Espinosa
- Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain; Department of Nursing School, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Ana Esplugues
- Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain; Department of Nursing School, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain.
| | - Ferran Ballester
- Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain; Department of Nursing School, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Sabrina Llop
- Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
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Kim B, Shah S, Park HS, Hong YC, Ha M, Kim Y, Kim BN, Kim Y, Ha EH. Adverse effects of prenatal mercury exposure on neurodevelopment during the first 3 years of life modified by early growth velocity and prenatal maternal folate level. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 191:109909. [PMID: 32871452 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Revised: 05/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Previous studies have suggested that mercury exposure and folate levels during pregnancy may influence early childhood neurodevelopment. Rapid catch-up growth in children is associated with an increased risk of pathological nervous system development. We evaluated whether the association between prenatal folate and mercury-related neuropsychological dysfunction was modified by growth velocity during childhood. METHODS The Mothers and Children's Environmental Health (MOCEH) birth cohort study began in 2006 and by 2010, 1751 women had been enrolled before the second trimester of their pregnancy along with their partners. Participants visited the research center at birth and 6, 12, 24, and 36 months. We measured mercury levels in maternal and cord blood and folate in maternal serum. Questionnaires to evaluate the environment and health of their child were administered and anthropometric factors including body weight and height were measured. Certified investigators used the Bayley test to measure neurobehavioral outcomes. We calculated postnatal growth change as the change in infant weight for-age z-score between birth and 3 years. Multiple linear regression and mixed models were used to examine the association between mercury exposure and children's neurodevelopment as well as the modifying effects of folate and growth velocity. RESULTS A total of 30.6% of children experienced rapid growth during the first 3 years of life. Median values of mercury in the low folate group were significantly higher in rapid growers (3.41 μg/L in maternal blood and 5.63 μg/L in cord blood) than in average/slow growers (3.05 μg/L in maternal blood and 5.19 μg/L in cord blood). Rapid growers were also significantly associated with decreased psychomotor development scores during the first 3 years of life and with having mothers who had low prenatal folate levels, even after adjusting for potential confounders. CONCLUSION Prenatal mercury exposure adversely affects infant neurodevelopment and is associated with rapid growth during the first 3 years of life. This effect was limited to children whose mothers had low prenatal folate levels, suggesting a protective effect of folate against developmental neurotoxicity due to mercury exposure and rapid catch-up growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Byungmi Kim
- National Cancer Control Institute, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Republic of Korea
| | - Surabhi Shah
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, College of Medicine, Ewha Medical Research Center, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hye-Sook Park
- Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Ewha Medical Research Center, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun-Chul Hong
- Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Mina Ha
- Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan, Republic of Korea
| | - Yangho Kim
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Ulsan University Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Ulsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Boong-Nnyun Kim
- Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Institute of Human Behavioral Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeni Kim
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, National Center for Mental Health, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Hee Ha
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, College of Medicine, Ewha Medical Research Center, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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Mercury, methylmercury and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in selected fish species and comparison of approaches to risk-benefit analysis. Food Chem Toxicol 2020; 146:111788. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2020.111788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 09/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
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Vecchi Brumatti L, Rosolen V, Mariuz M, Piscianz E, Valencic E, Bin M, Athanasakis E, D'Adamo P, Fragkiadoulaki E, Calamandrei G, Dinckol Ö, Barbone F, Ronfani L. Impact of Methylmercury and Other Heavy Metals Exposure on Neurocognitive Function in Children Aged 7 Years: Study Protocol of the Follow-up. J Epidemiol 2020; 31:157-163. [PMID: 32249266 PMCID: PMC7813770 DOI: 10.2188/jea.je20190284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The extent to which prenatal low-level mercury (Hg) exposure through maternal fish intake and heavy metals exposure affect children’s neurodevelopment is controversial and may appear in the long term. In 2007, a prospective cohort, the Northern Adriatic Cohort II (NAC-II), was established to investigate the association between prenatal Hg exposure from maternal fish consumption and child neurodevelopment. The study enrolled 900 pregnant women, and 632 and 470 children underwent neurodevelopmental evaluation at 18 and 40 months of age, respectively. The NAC-II cohort is a part of the Mediterranean cohort in the “Public health impact of long-term, low-level, mixed element exposure in susceptible population strata” project. Methods This protocol describes the follow-up assessment of the effects of prenatal low level Hg and other heavy metals exposure on the developing nervous system of the children born within the NAC-II who reached the age of 7 years. Child diet components are estimated through a Diet Diary. Child hair and urine are collected for determination of Hg level. In addition, levels of other potentially neurotoxic metals, namely Manganese, Cadmium, Lead, Arsenic, and Selenium, are also measured in the same matrices. Discussion This protocol extends to the first years of schooling age the evaluation of the neurotoxicant effect of Mercury and of the other heavy metals on children’s neurodevelopment, adjusting for the potential confounders, such as the lifestyles and social economic status of children’s families. Longitudinal analysis of neurodevelopment, assessed in different ages (18 months, 40 months, and 7 years), are performed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Marika Mariuz
- Department of Medical and Biological Sciences, University of Udine and Institute of Hygiene and Clinical Epidemiology, University Hospital of Udine
| | - Elisa Piscianz
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health - IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo"
| | - Erica Valencic
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health - IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo"
| | - Maura Bin
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health - IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo"
| | | | - Pio D'Adamo
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health - IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo".,Department of Medical Sciences, University of Trieste
| | | | | | | | - Fabio Barbone
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health - IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo"
| | - Luca Ronfani
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health - IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo"
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Hasan A, Nanakali NMQ, Salihi A, Rasti B, Sharifi M, Attar F, Derakhshankhah H, Mustafa IA, Abdulqadir SZ, Falahati M. Nanozyme-based sensing platforms for detection of toxic mercury ions: An alternative approach to conventional methods. Talanta 2020; 215:120939. [PMID: 32312429 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2020.120939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Revised: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is known as a poisonous heavy metal which stimulates a wide range of adverse effects on the human health. Therefore, development of some feasible, practical and highly sensitive platforms would be desirable in determination of Hg2+ level as low as nmol L-1 or pmol L-1. Different approaches such as ICP-MS, AAS/AES, and nanomaterial-based nanobiosensors have been manipulated for determination of Hg2+ level. However, these approaches suffer from expensive instruments and complicated sample preparation. Recently, nanozymes have been assembled to address some disadvantages of conventional methods in the detection of Hg2+. Along with the outstanding progress in nanotechnology and computational approaches, pronounced improvement has been attained in the field of nanozymes, recently. To accentuate these progresses, this review presents an overview on the different reports of Hg2+-induced toxicity on the different tissues followed by various conventional approaches validated for the determination of Hg2+ level. Afterwards, different types of nanozymes like AuNPs, PtNPs for quantitative detection of Hg2+ were surveyed. Finally, the current challenges and the future directions were explored to alleviate the limitation of nanozyme-based platforms with potential engineering in detection of heavy metals, namely Hg2+. The current overview can provide outstanding information to develop nano-based platforms for improvement of LOD and LOQ of analytical methods in sensitive detection of Hg2+ and other heavy metals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anwarul Hasan
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, College of Engineering, Qatar University, Doha, 2713, Qatar; Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, Doha, 2713, Qatar.
| | - Nadir Mustafa Qadir Nanakali
- Department of Biology, College of Education, Salahaddin University-Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq; Department of Biology, College of Science, Cihan University-Erbil, Iraq
| | - Abbas Salihi
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Salahaddin University-Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
| | - Behnam Rasti
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Lahijan Branch, Islamic Azad University (IAU), Lahijan, Guilan, Iran
| | - Majid Sharifi
- Department of Nanotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Sciences and Technology, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran; Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Farnoosh Attar
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Food Industry and Agriculture, Standard Research Institute (SRI), Karaj, Iran
| | - Hossein Derakhshankhah
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Inaam Ahmad Mustafa
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Salahaddin University-Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
| | - Shang Ziyad Abdulqadir
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Salahaddin University-Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
| | - Mojtaba Falahati
- Department of Nanotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Sciences and Technology, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
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Fong-McMaster C, Konji S, Nitschke A, Konkle ATM. Canadian Arctic Contaminants and Their Effects on the Maternal Brain and Behaviour: A Scoping Review of the Animal Literature. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:E926. [PMID: 32024308 PMCID: PMC7038163 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17030926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Revised: 01/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Background: Environmental toxicants such as methylmercury, polychlorinated biphenyls, and organochlorine pesticides are potentially harmful pollutants present in contaminated food, soil, air, and water. Exposure to these ecologically relevant toxicants is prominent in Northern Canadian populations. Previous work focused on toxicant exposure during pregnancy as a threat to fetal neurodevelopment. However, little is known about the individual and combined effects of these toxicants on maternal health during pregnancy and post-partum. Methods: A scoping review was conducted to synthesize the current knowledge regarding individual and combined effects of methylmercury, polychlorinated biphenyls, and organochlorine pesticides on maternal behaviour and the maternal brain. Relevant studies were identified through the PubMed, Embase, and Toxline databases. Literature involving animal models and one human cohort were included in the review. Results: Research findings indicate that exposures to these environmental toxicants are associated with neurochemical changes in rodent models. Animal models provided the majority of information on toxicant-induced alterations in maternal care behaviours. Molecular and hormonal changes hypothesized to underlie these alterations were also addressed, although studies assessing toxicant co-exposure were limited. Conclusion: This review speaks to the limited knowledge regarding effects of these persistent organic pollutants on the maternal brain and related behavioural outcomes. Further research is required to better comprehend any such effects on maternal brain and behaviour, as maternal care is an important contributor to offspring neurodevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Fong-McMaster
- Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada; (C.F.-M.); (S.K.); (A.N.)
| | - Sandra Konji
- Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada; (C.F.-M.); (S.K.); (A.N.)
| | - Amanda Nitschke
- Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada; (C.F.-M.); (S.K.); (A.N.)
| | - Anne TM Konkle
- Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada; (C.F.-M.); (S.K.); (A.N.)
- School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
- University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
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Reilhac A, Garlantézec R, Lacroix A, Rouget F, Warembourg C, Monfort C, Le Gléau F, Cordier S, Viel JF, Chevrier C. Prenatal exposure to glycol ethers and response inhibition in 6-year-old children: The PELAGIE cohort study. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 181:108950. [PMID: 31787214 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.108950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Revised: 10/31/2019] [Accepted: 11/19/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to glycol ethers (GEs) is suspected of impairing neurodevelopment in children, but the specific impact on their inhibitory capacity, a central deficit of ADHD, has never been studied. We aimed to assess the impact of prenatal exposure to GEs on the response inhibition of children aged six years. METHODS In total, 169 mother-child pairs from the French cohort PELAGIE (2002-2006) were studied. Maternal urinary concentrations of six GE metabolites (alkoxycarboxylic acids) were measured during pregnancy. Multiple imputation by quantile regression was used to handle non-detected values and the data were then classified into quartiles. Inhibition of children was evaluated by the Rhythmic Continuous Performance Test 90 (R-CPT90). The inhibition score (percentage of correct responses to non-target stimuli) was corrected for compliance with the instructions (percentage of correct responses to target stimuli). The analysis used a multiple linear regression model, adjusting for confounding factors for each metabolite. RESULTS Median concentrations of metabolites ranged from 0.02 mg/L (Ethoxyacetic acid, EAA) to 0.39 mg/L (Phenoxyacetic acid, PhAA). The median corrected inhibition score was 37.9% [first quartile: 29.8 - third quartile: 47.9]. We found a negative and statistically significant association between the inhibition score and prenatal urinary EAA concentration (p-trend = 0.03), with a significant β coefficient for the third quartile (β = -0.064; 95% confidence interval: -0.121, -0.007). There were no statistically significant associations for the other five metabolites. CONCLUSION These results are consistent with the hypothesis of possible impact of prenatal environmental exposure on inhibitory capacity among children. Data about the GEs metabolized to EAA (history of exposure sources and toxicokinetics) should be gathered to further interpret these results and guide precautionary measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Astrid Reilhac
- Univ Rennes, CHU Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail, UMR_S, 1085, Rennes, France.
| | - Ronan Garlantézec
- Univ Rennes, CHU Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail, UMR_S, 1085, Rennes, France.
| | - Agnès Lacroix
- Univ Rennes, LP3C Laboratoire de Psychologie, Cognition, Comportement et Communication, EA 1285, Rennes, France.
| | - Florence Rouget
- Univ Rennes, CHU Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail, UMR_S, 1085, Rennes, France.
| | - Charline Warembourg
- Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail, UMR_S 1085, France; ISGlobal, Doctor Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiologa y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.
| | | | | | - Sylvaine Cordier
- Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail, UMR_S 1085, France.
| | - Jean-François Viel
- Univ Rennes, CHU Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail, UMR_S, 1085, Rennes, France.
| | - Cécile Chevrier
- Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail, UMR_S 1085, France.
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Liu M, Cheng M, Zhang Q, Hansen G, He Y, Yu C, Lin H, Zhang H, Wang X. Significant elevation of human methylmercury exposure induced by the food trade in Beijing, a developing megacity. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 135:105392. [PMID: 31864030 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.105392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Methylmercury (MeHg) poses health risks to humans worldwide. The investigation of a longer chain of biogeochemical MeHg transport from production to consumption than that addressed in previous studies could provide additional scientific foundation for the reduction of risks. The main objective of this study is to identify the impacts of the interregional food trade along with the age, gender and socioeconomic status of people on human MeHg exposure in a developing megacity. Based on a field investigation, sampling and measurements, we provide experimental evidence regarding the substantial displacement of human MeHg exposure from production areas to consumption areas induced by the food trade. In 2018, 20% and 64% of the exposure in Beijing originated from the international and interprovincial food trade, respectively. Meanwhile, the ingestion of fish contributed 79% to the total exposure, followed by rice (4.4%), crab (3.8%) and shrimp (2.7%), and the exposure risk in urban districts was higher than that in rural areas by a factor of 2.2. A significantly higher contribution of imported deep-sea species to exposure among young people than among older people was observed (P < 0.01**), and a larger contribution of the international food trade to the MeHg exposure risk for women of childbearing age (average: 27%) than that among other groups (average: 10%) was found. Overall, our efforts demonstrate the dramatic impact of the food trade on MeHg exposure in a developing megacity, and we suggest that MeHg-susceptible populations in China should choose indigenous fish species (e.g., hairtail, yellow croaker and carp species) rather than imported deep-sea species as their dietary protein source.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maodian Liu
- Ministry of Education Laboratory of Earth Surface Process, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Menghan Cheng
- Ministry of Education Laboratory of Earth Surface Process, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Qianru Zhang
- Ministry of Education Laboratory of Earth Surface Process, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Gunnar Hansen
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut, 1080 Shennecossett Road, Groton, CT 06340, USA
| | - Yipeng He
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut, 1080 Shennecossett Road, Groton, CT 06340, USA
| | - Chenghao Yu
- Ministry of Education Laboratory of Earth Surface Process, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Huiming Lin
- Ministry of Education Laboratory of Earth Surface Process, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Haoran Zhang
- Ministry of Education Laboratory of Earth Surface Process, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Xuejun Wang
- Ministry of Education Laboratory of Earth Surface Process, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
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Anger WK, Farahat FM, Lein PJ, Lasarev MR, Olson JR, Farahat TM, Rohlman DS. Magnitude of behavioral deficits varies with job-related chlorpyrifos exposure levels among Egyptian pesticide workers. Neurotoxicology 2020; 77:216-230. [PMID: 32006538 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2020.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Revised: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Chronic occupational exposure to organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) is consistently associated with deficits on behavioral tests when compared to unexposed comparison groups. However, a dose-response relationship has yet to be established, leading some to doubt an association between occupational OP exposure and behavioral deficits. Pesticide application teams in Egypt who are primarily exposed to one OP, chlorpyrifos (CPF), were recruited into a field assessment. Trail Making A and the more challenging Trail Making B tests were administered to 54 engineers (who supervise the pesticide application process, usually from the side of the field), 59 technicians (who guide the pesticide applicators in the field), 31 applicators (who mix and apply pesticides using knapsack sprayers), and 150 controls (who did not work in the fields) at two different times during the OP application season as well as immediately after applications had ended and 1.5 months later. All participants were males since only males work on pesticide application teams in Egypt. Urinary levels of 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCPy), a specific metabolite of CPF, confirmed the pattern of lower to higher CPF exposures from engineers to technicians to applicators, and these were all greater than urinary metabolite levels in controls. A consistent relationship between job title and performance speed on the behavioral task was observed: Controls had the best (fastest) performance on Trail Making A and B tests throughout the application season, and applicators had significantly slower performance than engineers on Trail Making A (p = 0.015) and B (p = 0.003). However, individual urinary TCPy, blood acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) levels did not predict individual performance. This study identifies a dose-related effect based on job title, which serves as a surrogate for chronic exposure in that differing job titles exhibit varying group exposure levels. The results establish that chronic occupational exposure to chlorpyrifos is neurotoxic and suggest that the classic biomarkers of recent CPF exposure are not predictive of chronic exposure effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- W Kent Anger
- Oregon Health & Science University, Institute of Occupational Health Sciences, Portland, OR 97239, USA.
| | - Fayssal M Farahat
- Menoufia University, Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Menoufia, Egypt; King AbdulAziz Medical City, King Saud bin AbdulAziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Pamela J Lein
- Oregon Health & Science University, Institute of Occupational Health Sciences, Portland, OR 97239, USA; Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of California-Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Michael R Lasarev
- Oregon Health & Science University, Institute of Occupational Health Sciences, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - James R Olson
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA
| | - Taghreed M Farahat
- Menoufia University, Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Menoufia, Egypt
| | - Diane S Rohlman
- Oregon Health & Science University, Institute of Occupational Health Sciences, Portland, OR 97239, USA; Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
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Methylmercury Epigenetics. TOXICS 2019; 7:toxics7040056. [PMID: 31717489 PMCID: PMC6958348 DOI: 10.3390/toxics7040056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2019] [Revised: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Methylmercury (MeHg) has conventionally been investigated for effects on nervous system development. As such, epigenetic modifications have become an attractive mechanistic target, and research on MeHg and epigenetics has rapidly expanded in the past decade. Although, these inquiries are a recent advance in the field, much has been learned in regards to MeHg-induced epigenetic modifications, particularly in the brain. In vitro and in vivo controlled exposure studies illustrate that MeHg effects microRNA (miRNA) expression, histone modifications, and DNA methylation both globally and at individual genes. Moreover, some effects are transgenerationally inherited, as organisms not directly exposed to MeHg exhibited biological and behavioral alterations. miRNA expression generally appears to be downregulated consequent to exposure. Further, global histone acetylation also seems to be reduced, persist at distinct gene promoters, and is contemporaneous with enhanced histone methylation. Moreover, global DNA methylation appears to decrease in brain-derived tissues, but not in the liver; however, selected individual genes in the brain are hypermethylated. Human epidemiological studies have also identified hypo- or hypermethylated individual genes, which correlated with MeHg exposure in distinct populations. Intriguingly, several observed epigenetic modifications can be correlated with known mechanisms of MeHg toxicity. Despite this knowledge, however, the functional consequences of these modifications are not entirely evident. Additional research will be necessary to fully comprehend MeHg-induced epigenetic modifications and the impact on the toxic response.
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Falck AJ, Sundararajan S, Al-Mudares F, Contag SA, Bearer CF. Fetal exposure to mercury and lead from intrauterine blood transfusions. Pediatr Res 2019; 86:510-514. [PMID: 31216568 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-019-0463-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2018] [Revised: 06/04/2019] [Accepted: 06/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb) exposure during childhood is associated with irreversible neurodevelopmental effects. Fetal exposure to Hg and Pb from intrauterine blood transfusion (IUBT) has not been reported. METHODS Fetal exposure was estimated based on transfusion volume and metal concentration in donor packed red blood cell (PRBCs). As biomarkers to quantify prenatal exposure are unknown, Hg and Pb in donor PRBCs were compared to estimated intravenous (IV) RfDs based on gastrointestinal absorption. RESULTS Three pregnant women received 8 single-donor IUBTs with volumes ranging from 19 to 120 mL/kg. Hg and Pb were present in all donor PRBC units. In all, 1/8 IUBT resulted in Hg dose five times higher than the estimated IV RfD. Median Pb dose in one fetus who received 5 single-donor IUBTs between 20-32 weeks gestation was 3.4 μg/kg (range 0.5-7.9 μg/kg). One donor unit contained 12.9 μg/dL of Pb, resulting in a fetal dose of 7.9 μg/kg, 40 times higher than the estimated IV RfD at 20 weeks gestation. CONCLUSION This is the first study documenting inadvertent exposure to Hg and Pb from IUBT and quantifying the magnitude of exposure. Screening of donor blood is warranted to prevent toxic effects from Hg and Pb to the developing fetus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison J Falck
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Sripriya Sundararajan
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Stephen A Contag
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women's Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Cynthia F Bearer
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Xie H, Liu M, He Y, Lin H, Yu C, Deng C, Wang X. An experimental study of the impacts of solar radiation and temperature on mercury emission from different natural soils across China. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2019; 191:545. [PMID: 31392424 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-019-7717-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Accepted: 07/24/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) emission from natural soil is one of the most important contributors to global Hg cycles. Research on Hg emission from soil to air has been carried out in China. Currently, most of the research focuses on contaminated sites in China, while research in other regions is rare. To provide more accurate information on Hg emissions from soil to air in China and obtain additional laboratory data to verify the role of solar radiation and temperature in this process, we sampled and measured Hg emission fluxes from various natural soils (range, 48-240 ng/g) across mainland China under different solar radiation (0-900 W·m-2) and temperature (15-45 °C) conditions in a laboratory. We found that in different places in China, Hg emissions from natural soils occurred more easily when the soil Hg concentration, temperature, and solar radiation were high, but the impacts were different among the regions due to different soil types. Hg emissions from natural soils (0.071-24 ng·m2·h-1) were typically lower than those from contaminated sites, suggesting that additional measurements in natural soils are desirable. The results of this study could provide more accurate information on Hg emission from natural soil to air and help establish a nationwide natural soil Hg emission inventory in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Xie
- Ministry of Education Laboratory of Earth Surface Process, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Maodian Liu
- Ministry of Education Laboratory of Earth Surface Process, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
| | - Yipeng He
- Ministry of Education Laboratory of Earth Surface Process, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Huiming Lin
- Ministry of Education Laboratory of Earth Surface Process, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Chenghao Yu
- Ministry of Education Laboratory of Earth Surface Process, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Chunyan Deng
- Ministry of Education Laboratory of Earth Surface Process, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Xuejun Wang
- Ministry of Education Laboratory of Earth Surface Process, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
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Perez-Fernandez C, Flores P, Sánchez-Santed F. A Systematic Review on the Influences of Neurotoxicological Xenobiotic Compounds on Inhibitory Control. Front Behav Neurosci 2019; 13:139. [PMID: 31333425 PMCID: PMC6620897 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 06/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Impulsive and compulsive traits represent a variety of maladaptive behaviors defined by the difficulties to stop an improper response and the control of a repeated behavioral pattern without sensitivity to changing contingencies, respectively. Otherwise, human beings are continuously exposed to plenty neurotoxicological agents which have been systematically linked to attentional, learning, and memory dysfunctions, both preclinical and clinical studies. Interestingly, the link between both impulsive and compulsive behaviors and the exposure to the most important xenobiotic compounds have been extensively developed; although the information has been rarely summarized. For this, the present systematic review schedule and analyze in depth the most important works relating different subtypes of the above-mentioned behaviors with 4 of the most important xenobiotic compounds: Lead (Pb), Methylmercury (MeHg), Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), and Organophosphates (OP) in both preclinical and clinical models. Methods: Systematic search strategy on PubMed databases was developed, and the most important information was structured both in text and in separate tables based on rigorous methodological quality assessment. Results: For Lead, Methylmercury, Polychlorinated biphenyls and organophosphates, a total of 44 (31 preclinical), 34 (21), 38 (23), and 30 (17) studies were accepted for systematic synthesis, respectively. All the compounds showed an important empirical support on their role in the modulation of impulsive and, in lesser degree, compulsive traits, stronger and more solid in animal models with inconclusive results in humans in some cases (i.e., MeHg). However, preclinical and clinical studies have systematically focused on different subtypes of the above-mentioned behaviors, as well as impulsive choice or habit conformations have been rarely studied. Discussion: The strong empirical support in preclinical studies contrasts with the lack of connection between preclinical and clinical models, as well as the different methodologies used. Further research should be focused on dissipate these differences as well as deeply study impulsive choice, decision making, risk taking, and cognitive flexibility, both in experimental animals and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Pilar Flores
- Department of Psychology and Health Research Center, University of Almería, Almería, Spain
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Abstract
Our genetic makeup and environment interact. Evidence has emerged demonstrating preconception and prenatal exposure to toxic agents have a profound effect on reproductive health. We cannot change our genetics, but we can change our environment. Health providers can protect pregnancies from harmful exposures. Pregnancy is the most critical time-window for human development, when any toxic exposure can cause lasting damage to brain development. Reproductive care professionals can provide useful information to patients and refer patients to appropriate specialists when hazardous exposure is identified. Clinical experience and expertise in communicating risks of treatment are transferable to environmental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly McCue
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Permanente Medical Group, North Valley, 3rd Floor, 501 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95814, USA
| | - Nathaniel DeNicola
- The George Washington University, 2511 I Street Northwest, Washington, DC 20037, USA.
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Wang J, Wu W, Li H, Cao L, Wu M, Liu J, Gao Z, Zhou C, Liu J, Yan C. Relation of prenatal low-level mercury exposure with early child neurobehavioral development and exploration of the effects of sex and DHA on it. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2019; 126:14-23. [PMID: 30776746 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.02.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Revised: 02/03/2019] [Accepted: 02/03/2019] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The extent to which low-level, in utero mercury exposure affects child neurobehavioral development during early childhood has been inconclusive. In addition, the effects of sex and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on these relationships remain unclear and controversial. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to explore the associations between prenatal low-level mercury exposure and child neurobehavioral development during the neonatal and toddler periods and to examine the potential confounding or interactive effects of sex and DHA status on these relationships. METHODS This longitudinal study included 286 mother-child pairs in Shanghai, China, whose cord blood samples were analyzed for total mercury, DHA, other nutrients and coexposure contaminants possibly due to maternal consumption of seafood. Children's neurobehavioral development was assessed with the Neonatal Behavioral Neurological Assessment (NBNA) three days after birth and the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (BSID-III) at 18 months of age. RESULTS Cord blood mercury concentration, with geometric mean of 2.00 μg/l, was related to poorer NBNA performance but unrelated to BSID-III scores with adjustment for DHA and other covariates. Cord serum DHA was positively associated with motor development assessed by the BSID-III. The interaction was found between mercury and DHA on the NBNA score, and the inverse relation of cord blood mercury with NBNA was significant only among the children with lower DHA levels (<45.54 μg/ml). Additional adjustment for DHA didn't change the associations between cord blood mercury and neurodevelopmental outcomes substantially. The mercury by sex interaction for language of BSID-III was borderline significant. CONCLUSIONS Our research provides initial evidence for the negative effects of prenatal low-level mercury exposure on neonates' neurobehavioral development. Prenatal DHA status may modify the relationship between cord blood mercury level and neonatal neurobehavioral development, but the confounding effects of DHA were not observed. Further studies are warranted before the causality of the observed associations can be determined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ju Wang
- School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China; Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Wei Wu
- Qilu Children's Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Hui Li
- Jining No.1 People's Hospital, Jining, Shandong, China
| | - Lulu Cao
- Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Meiqin Wu
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Junxia Liu
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhenyan Gao
- Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Cancan Zhou
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianghong Liu
- School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Chonghuai Yan
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
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Cao M, Song F, Yang X, Peng L, Cheng Y, Zheng Q, Liang Y, Wang C. Identification of Potential Long Noncoding RNA Biomarker of Mercury Compounds in Zebrafish Embryos. Chem Res Toxicol 2019; 32:878-886. [PMID: 30912647 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.9b00029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Heavy metal pollution elicits severe environmental concern and health problem worldwide. Mercury is considered as a ubiquitous pollutant due to its versatile application in medicine, industry, and cosmetics. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are transcripts greater than 200 nt without protein-encoding function. However, little is known about the mechanism of heavy metals-induced noncoding RNA changes in aquatic organisms. To reveal the epigenetic mechanism of mercury toxicity in zebrafish embryos and explore novel specific mercury-toxicological biomarkers, several well-studied lncRNAs were screened by real-time PCR, and the spatial-temporal expression of lncRNAs biomarker was evaluated by in situ hybridization. The nerve systems of zebrafish embryos were evaluated by detecting locomotor behavior and the expression of neuro-genes. We identified a mercury responsive lncRNA, metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (malat1), among five candidate lncRNAs. HgCl2, MeHg, PbCl2, CdCl2, and K2CrO4 exposure assay showed that malat-1 was a mercury specific induced lncRNAs. Malat1 was highly expressed in the brain region, eyes, and notochord of developing zebrafish embryos after exposure to mercury compounds. HgCl2 showed neurobehavior disturbance and changed neuro-genes expression pattern in zebrafish larvae. This study provides a biological method to detect inorganic or organic mercury using malat1 as a novel biomarker of mercury contamination and also clues for the exploration of neurotoxicity mechanism of mercury compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengxi Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences , Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100085 , P. R. China
| | - Fei Song
- School of Environmental Ecology and Biological Engineering , Wuhan Institute of Technology , Wuhan 430205 , China
| | - Xue Yang
- School of Environmental Ecology and Biological Engineering , Wuhan Institute of Technology , Wuhan 430205 , China
| | - Lei Peng
- School of Environmental Ecology and Biological Engineering , Wuhan Institute of Technology , Wuhan 430205 , China
| | - Yang Cheng
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering , Wuhan University of Science and Technology , Wuhan 430081 , China
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Altenhofen S, Nabinger DD, Bitencourt PER, Bonan CD. Dichlorvos alters morphology and behavior in zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2019; 245:1117-1123. [PMID: 30682746 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.11.095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2018] [Revised: 11/26/2018] [Accepted: 11/28/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Dichlorvos (2,2-dichlorovinyl-dimethylphosphate), an organophosphorus pesticide used for indoor insect and livestock parasite control, is among the most common commercially available pesticides. However, there are significant concerns over its toxicity, especially due to its relative stability in water, soil, and air. Zebrafish, an important developmental model, has been used for studying the effects of toxic compounds. The aim of this study was to evaluate the exposure to dichlorvos at early life stages (1 h postfertilization - 7 days postfertilization) in the zebrafish and its toxicological effects during the development, through morphological (7 days postfertilization), locomotor and social behavior analysis (7, 14, 30, 70, and 120 days postfertilization). Dichlorvos (1, 5, and 10 mg/L) exposure reduced the body length and heartbeat rate at 7 days postfertilization (dpf), as well as the surface area of the eyes (5 and 10 mg/L). The avoidance behavior test showed a significant decrease in escape responses at 7 (1, 5, and 10 mg/L) and 14 (5 and 10 mg/L) dpf zebrafish. The evaluation of larval exploratory behavior showed a reduction in distance traveled, mean speed (1, 5, and 10 mg/L) and time mobile (10 mg/L) between control and dichlorvos groups. In addition, the analysis performed on adult animals showed that the changes in distance traveled and mean speed remained reduced in 30 (1, 5, and 10 mg/L) and 70 dpf (5 and 10 mg/L), recovering values similar to the control at 120 dpf. The social behavior of zebrafish was not altered by exposure to dichlorvos in the early stages of development. Thus, the exposure to organophosphorus compounds at early stages of development induces an increased susceptibility to behavioral and neuronal changes that could be associated with several neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefani Altenhofen
- Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Escola de Medicina, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina e Ciências da Saúde, Laboratório de Neuroquímica e Psicofarmacologia, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Débora Dreher Nabinger
- Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Escola de Ciências, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular, Laboratório de Neuroquímica e Psicofarmacologia, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Paula Eliete Rodrigues Bitencourt
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Farmacologia e Terapêutica, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Carla Denise Bonan
- Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Escola de Medicina, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina e Ciências da Saúde, Laboratório de Neuroquímica e Psicofarmacologia, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Escola de Ciências, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular, Laboratório de Neuroquímica e Psicofarmacologia, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
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Abstract
Toxic chemicals, either from natural sources or man-made, are ubiquitous in our environment. Many of the synthetic chemicals make life more comfortable and therefore production continues to grow. Simultaneously with the increase in production, an increase in neurodevelopmental disorders has been observed. Some chemicals are not biodegradable or have a very long half-life time and, despite the fact that production of a number of those chemicals has been severely reduced, they are still ubiquitous in the environment. Fetal exposure to toxic chemicals is dependent on maternal exposure to those chemicals and the developing stage of the fetus. Human evidence from epidemiologic studies is described with regard to the effect of prenatal exposure to various groups of neurotoxicants (alcohol, particulate fine matter, metals, and endocrine disrupting chemicals) on neurobehavior development. Data indicate that prenatal exposure to alcohol, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, lead, methylmercury (MeHg), organophosphate pesticides (OPPs), and polychlorinated biphenyl ethers (PBDEs) impair cognitive development, whereas exposure to alcohol, MeHg, organochlorine pesticides and OPPs, polychlorinated biphenyls, PBDEs, and bisphenol A increases the risk of developing either attention deficit/hyperactivity and/or autism spectrum disorders. Psychomotor development appears to be less affected. However, data are not conclusive, which may depend on the assessment of exposure and the exposure level, among other factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margot van de Bor
- Department of Environment and Health, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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Determination of mercury in hair of children. Toxicol Lett 2018; 298:25-32. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2018.06.1215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2018] [Revised: 04/23/2018] [Accepted: 06/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Liu M, Chen L, He Y, Baumann Z, Mason RP, Shen H, Yu C, Zhang W, Zhang Q, Wang X. Impacts of farmed fish consumption and food trade on methylmercury exposure in China. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2018; 120:333-344. [PMID: 30114623 PMCID: PMC6174094 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2018.08.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2018] [Revised: 08/02/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The global pollutant mercury (Hg), especially as methylmercury (MeHg), threatens human and ecosystem health. But major contributors of MeHg exposure to people in China remain highly debated. We developed the China Mercury Exposure Assessment (CMEA) model, which incorporates human exposure pathways for MeHg and total Hg (THg), the interregional, including international and interprovincial, food trading as well as human physiology to provide a comprehensive system that can evaluate the pathway of Hg forms to human consumers in China. Based on the CMEA model that employed the most comprehensive and recent data, we have found that the Probable Daily Intake (PDI) of MeHg for the Chinese population was 0.057 (range: 0.036-0.091 as 60% confidence interval) μg·kg-1·day-1, while that of THg was 0.35 (range: 0.22-0.55) μg·kg-1·day-1. MeHg exposure was dominated by fish intake, especially by farm-raised freshwater fish due to higher consumption of these fish. In 2011, fish intake contributed to 56% to the total MeHg exposure, followed by rice (26%). Consumption of farm-raised fish reduced human exposure to MeHg by 33%. On the other hand, interregional food trading increased MeHg exposure of the Chinese population, as a whole, by 7.6%. The international and interprovincial food trades contributed to 5.1% and 22% of MeHg intake, respectively. For the whole China, fish intake related exposure to MeHg was highest for the Eastern and Northeastern populations, while Tibetans were chronically exposed to the highest MeHg from other sources. Our findings highlight the importance of farmed fish and food trade for MeHg exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maodian Liu
- Ministry of Education Laboratory of Earth Surface Process, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Department of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut, 1080 Shennecossett Road, Groton, CT 06340, USA
| | - Long Chen
- Key Laboratory of Geographic Information Science, Ministry of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; School of Geographic Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Yipeng He
- Ministry of Education Laboratory of Earth Surface Process, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Department of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut, 1080 Shennecossett Road, Groton, CT 06340, USA
| | - Zofia Baumann
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut, 1080 Shennecossett Road, Groton, CT 06340, USA
| | - Robert P Mason
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut, 1080 Shennecossett Road, Groton, CT 06340, USA
| | - Huizhong Shen
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Chenghao Yu
- Ministry of Education Laboratory of Earth Surface Process, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, China
| | - Qianggong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Xuejun Wang
- Ministry of Education Laboratory of Earth Surface Process, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
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Mercury's neurotoxicity is characterized by its disruption of selenium biochemistry. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2018; 1862:2405-2416. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2018.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Revised: 05/01/2018] [Accepted: 05/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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Sub-Nanomolar Methylmercury Exposure Promotes Premature Differentiation of Murine Embryonic Neural Precursor at the Expense of Their Proliferation. TOXICS 2018; 6:toxics6040061. [PMID: 30308979 PMCID: PMC6315723 DOI: 10.3390/toxics6040061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2018] [Revised: 09/28/2018] [Accepted: 10/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Methylmercury (MeHg) is a ubiquitous environmental pollutant that is known to be neurotoxic, particularly during fetal development. However, the mechanisms responsible for MeHg-induced changes in adult neuronal function, when their exposure occurred primarily during fetal development, are not yet understood. We hypothesized that fetal MeHg exposure could affect neural precursor development leading to long-term neurotoxic effects. Primary cortical precursor cultures obtained from embryonic day 12 were exposed to 0 µM, 0.25 µM, 0.5 µM, 2.5 µM, and 5 µM MeHg for 48 or 72 h. All of the concentrations tested in the study did not affect cell viability. Intriguingly, we observed that cortical precursor exposed to 0.25 µM MeHg showed increased neuronal differentiation, while its proliferation was inhibited. Reduced neuronal differentiation, however, was observed in the higher dose groups. Our results suggest that micromolar MeHg exposure may deplete the pool of neural precursors by increasing premature neuronal differentiation, which can lead to long-term neurological effects in adulthood as opposed to the higher MeHg doses that cause more immediate toxicity during infant development.
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