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Farias-Junior PMA, Teixeira FB, Fagundes NCF, Miranda GHN, Oliveira Bittencourt L, de Oliveira Paraense RS, Silva MCF, Sagica FDES, de Oliveira EH, Crespo-López ME, Lima RR. Chronic intoxication by methylmercury leads to oxidative damage and cell death in salivary glands of rats. Metallomics 2017; 9:1778-1785. [PMID: 29082389 DOI: 10.1039/c7mt00168a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Methylmercury (MeHg) is one of the most toxic species of mercury, causing several systemic damages; however, its effect on the salivary glands has rarely been explored to date. This study was aimed at analyzing the mercury deposit, oxidative stress markers, and cell viability in parotid and submandibular rat salivary glands after chronic methylmercury intoxication. Herein, forty male Wistar rats (40 days old) were used in the experiment. The animals of the experimental group were intoxicated by intragastric gavage with MeHg at a dose of 0.04 mg per kg body weight per day for 35 days, whereas the control group received only corn oil, a diluent. After the period of intoxication, the glands were obtained for evaluation of total mercury deposit, cell viability, and the malondialdehyde (MDA) and the nitrite levels. Our results indicated mercury deposits in salivary glands, with a decrease in cell viability, higher levels of MDA in both glands of intoxicated animals, and a higher concentration of nitrite only in the submandibular gland of the mercury group. Thus, the intoxication by MeHg was able to generate deposits and oxidative stress in salivary glands that resulted in a decrease in cell viability in both types of glands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo Mecenas Alves Farias-Junior
- Laboratory of Functional and Structural Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Street Augusto Corrêa N. 01, Guamá, Belém, Pará 66075-900, Brazil.
| | - Francisco Bruno Teixeira
- Laboratory of Functional and Structural Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Street Augusto Corrêa N. 01, Guamá, Belém, Pará 66075-900, Brazil.
| | - Nathalia Carolina Fernandes Fagundes
- Laboratory of Functional and Structural Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Street Augusto Corrêa N. 01, Guamá, Belém, Pará 66075-900, Brazil.
| | - Giza Hellen Nonato Miranda
- Laboratory of Functional and Structural Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Street Augusto Corrêa N. 01, Guamá, Belém, Pará 66075-900, Brazil.
| | - Leonardo Oliveira Bittencourt
- Laboratory of Functional and Structural Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Street Augusto Corrêa N. 01, Guamá, Belém, Pará 66075-900, Brazil.
| | | | - Márcia Cristina Freitas Silva
- Laboratory of Functional and Structural Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Street Augusto Corrêa N. 01, Guamá, Belém, Pará 66075-900, Brazil.
| | | | - Edivaldo Herculano de Oliveira
- Laboratory of Tissue Culture and Cytogenetics, Evandro Chagas Institute, Ananindeua, Pará, Brazil and College of Natural Sciences, Institute of Natural Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Pará, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Maria Elena Crespo-López
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Pará, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Rafael Rodrigues Lima
- Laboratory of Functional and Structural Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Street Augusto Corrêa N. 01, Guamá, Belém, Pará 66075-900, Brazil.
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