In:
Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Hindawi Limited, Vol. 2012 ( 2012), p. 1-12
Abstract:
Cinnabar, a naturally occurring mercuric sulfide (HgS), has long been used in Chinese mineral medicine for more than 2000 years. Although mercury is well-known for its toxicity, whether cinnabar induces neurotoxicity, especially in infants and children, is unknown. The purpose of this study was to explore the neurotoxic effects of low-dose of cinnabar (10 mg/kg/day) on developing mice. The results revealed neurobehavioral defects in F1-C-Cin group, which were associated with Hg accumulation, increased NO x levels in whole blood, and Na + /K + -ATPase activities in brain tissues. F1- and F2-Cin-V groups were found to increase brain Hg contents and prominent neurobehavioral defects compared with F1-C-V group, suggesting that the fetal brain was more susceptible to irreversible effects for cinnabar-induced damage. Moreover, F1- and F2-Cin-Cin groups had severely neurobehavioral dysfunctions, closely correlated with the further alteration of NO x levels and Na + /K + -ATPase activities than F1- and F2-C-Cin groups. Effects in F2-Cin-Cin group were more significant than those in F1-Cin-Cin group. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that exposure to low-dose of cinnabar during the perinatal and developmental stages results in irreversible and severe injuries of the neurotoxicity in offspring, and NO x and Na + /K + -ATPase activities may exist potential and useful biomarkers for neurotoxicity-induced by low-doses of mercuric compounds.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
1110-7243
,
1110-7251
Language:
English
Publisher:
Hindawi Limited
Publication Date:
2012
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2698540-8
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2512507-2
SSG:
12
