Selenomethionine Protects against Neuronal Degeneration by Methylmercury in the Developing Rat Cerebrum

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• 作者：Mineshi Sakamoto ; Akira Yasutake ; Akiyoshi Kakita ; Masae Ryufuku ; Hing Man Chan ; Megumi Yamamoto ; Sanae Oumi ; Sayaka Kobayashi ; Chiho Watanabe
• 刊名：Environmental Science & Technology (ES&T)
• 出版年：2013
• 出版时间：March 19, 2013
• 年：2013
• 卷：47
• 期：6
• 页码：2862-2868
• 全文大小：452K
• 年卷期：v.47,no.6(March 19, 2013)
• ISSN：1520-5851

文摘

Although many experimental studies have shown that selenium protects against methylmercury (MeHg) toxicity at different end points, the direct interactive effects of selenium and MeHg on neurons in the brain remain unknown. Our goal is to confirm the protective effects of selenium against neuronal degeneration induced by MeHg in the developing postnatal rat brain using a postnatal rat model that is suitable for extrapolating the effects of MeHg to the fetal brain of humans. As an exposure source of selenium, we used selenomethionine (SeMet), a food-originated selenium. Wistar rats of postnatal days 14 were orally administered with vehicle (control), MeHg (8 mg Hg/kg/day), SeMet (2 mg Se/kg/day), or MeHg plus SeMet coexposure for 10 consecutive days. Neuronal degeneration and reactive astrocytosis were observed in the cerebral cortex of the MeHg-group but the symptoms were prevented by coexposure to SeMet. These findings serve as a proof that dietary selenium can directly protect neurons against MeHg toxicity in the mammalian brain, especially in the developing cerebrum.