Spinal cord neurodegeneration after inorganic mercury long-term exposure in adult rats: Ultrastructural, proteomic and biochemical damages associated with reduced neuronal density

• Published in: Ecotoxicology and environmental safety Vol. 191; p. 110159
• Main Authors: Corrêa, Márcio Gonçalves, Bittencourt, Leonardo Oliveira, Nascimento, Priscila Cunha, Ferreira, Railson Oliveira, Aragão, Walessa Alana Bragança, Silva, Marcia Cristina Freitas, Gomes-Leal, Walace, Fernandes, Mileni Silva, Dionizio, Aline, Buzalaf, Marília Rabelo, Crespo-Lopez, Maria Elena, Lima, Rafael Rodrigues
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Inc 15-03-2020
• Subjects: Animals; Antioxidants - metabolism; Axons - drug effects; Axons - ultrastructure; CNS; Environmental Pollutants - toxicity; Male; Mercuric Chloride - toxicity; Mercury; Mercury chloride; Motor Neurons - drug effects; Motor Neurons - metabolism; Motor Neurons - ultrastructure; Myelin Sheath - ultrastructure; Neurodegenerative Diseases - chemically induced; Neurodegenerative Diseases - metabolism; Neurodegenerative Diseases - pathology; Neurotoxicology; Oxidation-Reduction; Oxidative Stress - drug effects; Proteome - metabolism; Proteomics; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Spinal cord; Spinal Cord - drug effects; Spinal Cord - metabolism; Spinal Cord - ultrastructure; Mercury chloride; CNS; Spinal cord; Mercury; Neurotoxicology; Proteomics
• ISSN: 0147-6513; 1090-2414
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2019.110159

Mercury chloride (HgCl2) is a chemical pollutant widely found in the environment. This form of mercury is able to promote several damages to the Central Nervous System (CNS), however the effects of HgCl2 on the spinal cord, an important pathway for the communication between the CNS and the periphery, are still poorly understood. The aim of this work was to investigate the effects of HgCl2 exposure on spinal cord of adult rats. For this, animals were exposed to a dose of 0.375 mg/kg/day, for 45 days. Then, they were euthanized, the spinal cord collected and we investigated the mercury concentrations in medullary parenchyma and the effects on oxidative biochemistry, proteomic profile and tissue structures. Our results showed that exposure to this metal promoted increased levels of Hg in the spinal cord, impaired oxidative biochemistry by triggering oxidative stress, mudulated antioxidant system proteins, energy metabolism and myelin structure; as well as caused disruption in the myelin sheath and reduction in neuronal density. Despite the low dose, we conclude that prolonged exposure to HgCl2 triggers biochemical changes and modulates the expression of several proteins, resulting in damage to the myelin sheath and reduced neuronal density in the spinal cord.
•Long-term HgCl2 exposure leads to protein expression alterations.•HgCl2 disrupts myelin sheath in spinal cord axons.•HgCl2 reduced the number of motor neurons in spinal cord.