Genetic Polymorphism of Delta Aminolevulinic Acid Dehydratase ( ALAD ) Gene and Symptoms of Chronic Mercury Exposure in Munduruku Indigenous Children within the Brazilian Amazon

Genetic polymorphisms involved in mercury toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics may be associated with severe mercury toxicity. This study aimed to investigate the impact of an polymorphism on chronic mercury exposure and the health situation of indigenous children from the Brazilian Amazon. One-hundred...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	International journal of environmental research and public health Vol. 18; no. 16; p. 8746
Main Authors:	Perini, Jamila Alessandra, Silva, Mayara Calixto, Vasconcellos, Ana Claudia Santiago de, Viana, Paulo Victor Sousa, Lima, Marcelo Oliveira, Jesus, Iracina Maura, Kempton, Joseph William, Oliveira, Rogério Adas Ayres, Hacon, Sandra Souza, Basta, Paulo Cesar
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Switzerland MDPI AG 19-08-2021 MDPI
Subjects:	Aminolevulinic acid Anemia Animal cognition Animals Blood pressure Body mass index Child Child, Preschool Children Dehydration Enzymes Exposure Female Gene Frequency Gene polymorphism Genotype Hair Humans Male Memory Mercury Motor ability Polymorphism Polymorphism, Genetic Porphobilinogen Synthase - genetics Signs and symptoms Standard deviation Thermal cycling Toxicity Visual field Visual fields Brazil United States > US Amazon Basin ALAD indigenous people neurotoxicity environmental health genetic polymorphism mercury exposure
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Summary:	Genetic polymorphisms involved in mercury toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics may be associated with severe mercury toxicity. This study aimed to investigate the impact of an polymorphism on chronic mercury exposure and the health situation of indigenous children from the Brazilian Amazon. One-hundred-and-three indigenous children (under 15 years old) were included and genotyped (rs1800435) using a TaqMan validated assay. The mean age was 6.6 ± 4.5 years old, 60% were female, 49% presented with anemia, and the mean hair mercury concentration was 7.0 ± 4.5 (1.4-23.9) µg/g, with 49% exceeding the reference limit (≥6.0 µg/g). Only two children were heterozygous , while the others were all wild type. Minor allele frequency ( ) and heterozygous genotype ( ) were 1% and 2%, respectively. The two children (12 and 14 years old) with the polymorphism had mercury levels above the average as well as had neurological symptoms related to chronic mercury exposure, such as visual field alterations, memory deficit, distal neuropathy, and toe amyotrophy. Both children also reported frequent consumption of fish in the diet, at least three times a week. In conclusion, our data confirm that an polymorphism can contribute to mercury half-life time, harmful effects, and neuropsychological disorders in indigenous children with chronic mercury exposure to gold mining activity.
ISSN:	1660-4601 1661-7827 1660-4601
DOI:	10.3390/ijerph18168746