Studies of micronuclei and other nuclear abnormalities in red blood cells of Colossoma macropomum exposed to methylmercury

• Published in: Genetics and molecular biology Vol. 34; no. 4; pp. 694 - 697
• Main Authors: da Rocha, Carlos Alberto Machado, da Cunha, Lorena Araújo, da Silva Pinheiro, Raul Henrique, de Oliveira Bahia, Marcelo, Burbano, Rommel Mario Rodríguez
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Sociedade Brasileira de Genética 01-01-2011
• Subjects: BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY; cytotoxicity; GENETICS & HEREDITY; genotoxicity; methylmercury; micronuclei assay; Mutagenesis; genotoxicity; methylmercury; micronuclei assay; cytotoxicity
• ISSN: 1415-4757; 1678-4685; 1678-4685; 1415-4757
• DOI: 10.1590/S1415-47572011000400024

The frequencies of micronuclei (MN) and morphological nuclear abnormalities (NA) in erythrocytes in the peripheral blood of tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum), treated with 2 mg.L(-1) methylmercury (MeHg), were analyzed. Two groups (nine specimens in each) were exposed to MeHg for different periods (group A - 24 h; group B - 120 h). A third group served as negative control (group C, untreated; n = 9). Although, when compared to the control group there were no significant differences in MN frequency in the treated groups, for NA, the differences between the frequencies of group B (treated for 120 h) and the control group were extremely significant (p < 0.02), thus demonstrating the potentially adverse effects of MeHg on C. macropomum erythrocytes after prolonged exposure.