Protective effects of selenium on mercury induced immunotoxic effects in mice by way of concurrent drinking water exposure

Resveratrol Alleviates Liver Fibrosis Induced by Long-Term Inorganic Mercury Exposure through Activating the Sirt1/PGC-1α Signaling Pathway

Liver disease has become an important risk factor for global health. Resveratrol (Res) is a natural polyphenol which is widely found in foods and has a variety of biological activities. This study investigated the role of the microbiota-gut-liver axis in the Res relieving the liver fibrosis induced by inorganic mercury exposure. Twenty-eight mice were divided into four groups (n = 7) and treated with mercuric chloride and/or Res for 24 weeks, respectively. The results showed that Res mitigated the ileum injury induced by inorganic mercury and restrained LPS and alcohol entering the body circulation. Network pharmacological and molecular analyses showed that Res alleviated oxidative stress, metabolism disorders, inflammation, and hepatic stellate cell activation in the liver. In conclusion, Res alleviates liver fibrosis induced by inorganic mercury via activating the Sirt1/PGC-1α signaling pathway and regulating the microbial-gut-liver axis, particularly, increasing the relative enrichment of Bifidobacterium in the intestinal tract.

Mercury-Modulated Immune Responses in Arctic Barnacle Goslings (Branta leucopsis) upon a Viral-Like Immune Challenge

Historical mining activities in Svalbard (79°N/12°E) have caused local mercury (Hg) contamination. To address the potential immunomodulatory effects of environmental Hg on Arctic organisms, we collected newborn barnacle goslings (Branta leucopsis) and herded them in either a control or mining site, differing in Hg levels. An additional group at the mining site was exposed to extra inorganic Hg(II) via supplementary feed. Hepatic total Hg concentrations differed significantly between the control (0.011 ± 0.002 mg/kg dw), mine (0.043 ± 0.011 mg/kg dw), and supplementary feed (0.713 ± 0.137 mg/kg dw) gosling groups (average ± standard deviation). Upon immune challenge with double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) injection, endpoints for immune responses and oxidative stress were measured after 24 h. Our results indicated that Hg exposure modulated the immune responses in Arctic barnacle goslings upon a viral-like immune challenge. Increased exposure to both environmental as well as supplemental Hg reduced the level of natural antibodies, suggesting impaired humoral immunity. Hg exposure upregulated the expression of proinflammatory genes in the spleen, including inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and interleukin 18 (IL18), suggesting Hg-induced inflammatory effects. Exposure to Hg also oxidized glutathione (GSH) to glutathione disulfide (GSSG); however, goslings were capable of maintaining the redox balance by de novo synthesis of GSH. These adverse effects on the immune responses indicated that even exposure to low, environmentally relevant levels of Hg might affect immune competence at the individual level and might even increase the susceptibility of the population to infections.

Dietary Selenomethionine Reduce Mercury Tissue Levels and Modulate Methylmercury Induced Proteomic and Transcriptomic Alterations in Hippocampi of Adolescent BALB/c Mice

Methylmercury (MeHg) is a well-known environmental contaminant, particularly harmful to the developing brain. The main human dietary exposure to MeHg occurs through seafood consumption. However, seafood also contains several nutrients, including selenium, which has been shown to interact with MeHg and potentially ameliorate its toxicity. The aim of this study was to investigate the combined effects of selenium (as selenomethionine; SeMet) and MeHg on mercury accumulation in tissues and the effects concomitant dietary exposure of these compounds exert on the hippocampal proteome and transcriptome in mice. Adolescent male BALB/c mice were exposed to SeMet and two different doses of MeHg through their diet for 11 weeks. Organs, including the brain, were sampled for mercury analyses. Hippocampi were collected and analyzed using proteomics and transcriptomics followed by multi-omics bioinformatics data analysis. The dietary presence of SeMet reduced the amount of mercury in several organs, including the brain. Proteomic and RNA-seq analyses showed that both protein and RNA expression patterns were inversely regulated in mice receiving SeMet together with MeHg compared to MeHg alone. Several pathways, proteins and RNA transcripts involved in conditions such as immune responses and inflammation, oxidative stress, cell plasticity and Alzheimer’s disease were affected inversely by SeMet and MeHg, indicating that SeMet can ameliorate several toxic effects of MeHg in mice.

Selenium supplementation influences mice testicular selenoproteins driven by gut microbiota

Selenium is a well-known essential element with important roles in human reproductive health mainly due to its antioxidant character. This study aimed to investigate the potential role of selenoproteins on gut microbiota and male reproductive health. A new assay for the absolute quantification of selenoproteins in testicular tissue based on two dimensional chromatography with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was performed for the first time. The gut microbiota profile was obtained by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Numerous associations were found between testicular selenoproteins and gut microbiota (e.g. Mucispirillum, related with sperm activity and testosterone, was associated with glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and selenoalbumin (SeAlb), while Escherichia/Shigella, related to sex hormones, correlated with GPx, selenoprotein P (SelP) and SeAlb). The effects of Se-supplementation on testicular selenoproteins only occur in conventional mice, suggesting a potential selenoproteins-microbiota interplay that underlies testicular function. The selenoproteins GPx and SelP have been quantified for the first time in the testicles, and the novel identification of SeAlb, a protein with nonspecifically incorporated Se, is also reported. These findings demonstrate the significant impact of Se-supplementation on gut microbiota and male reproductive health. In addition, the analytical methodology applied here in selenoprotein quantification in testicular tissue opens new possibilities to evaluate their role in gut microbiota and reproductive health axis.

Interactions between Environmental Contaminants and Gastrointestinal Parasites: Novel Insights from an Integrative Approach in a Marine Predator

Environmental contaminants and parasites are ubiquitous stressors that can affect animal physiology and derive from similar dietary sources (co-exposure). To unravel their interactions in wildlife, it is thus essential to quantify their concurring drivers. Here, the relationship between blood contaminant residues (11 trace elements and 17 perfluoroalkyl substances) and nonlethally quantified gastrointestinal parasite loads was tested while accounting for intrinsic (sex, age, and mass) and extrinsic factors (trophic ecology inferred from stable isotope analyses and biologging) in European shags Phalacrocorax aristotelis. Shags had high mercury (range 0.65-3.21 μg g^-1 wet weight, ww) and extremely high perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) residues (3.46-53 and 4.48-44 ng g^-1 ww, respectively). Males had higher concentrations of arsenic, mercury, PFOA, and PFNA than females, while the opposite was true for selenium, perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA), and perfluooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS). Individual parasite loads (Contracaecum rudolphii) were higher in males than in females. Females targeted pelagic-feeding prey, while males relied on both pelagic- and benthic-feeding organisms. Parasite loads were not related to trophic ecology in either sex, suggesting no substantial dietary co-exposure with contaminants. In females, parasite loads increased strongly with decreasing selenium:mercury molar ratios. Females may be more susceptible to the interactive effects of contaminants and parasites on physiology, with potential fitness consequences.

Toxicity of mercury: Molecular evidence

Minamata disease in Japan and the large-scale poisoning by methylmercury (MeHg) in Iraq caused wide public concerns about the risk emanating from mercury for human health. Nowadays, it is widely known that all forms of mercury induce toxic effects in mammals, and increasing evidence supports the concern that environmentally relevant levels of MeHg could impact normal biological functions in wildlife. The information of mechanism involved in mercurial toxicity is growing but knowledge gaps still exist between the adverse effects and mechanisms of action, especially at the molecular level. A body of data obtained from experimental studies on mechanisms of mercurial toxicity in vivo and in vitro points to that disruption of the antioxidant system may play an important role in the mercurial toxic effects. Moreover, the accumulating evidence indicates that signaling transduction, protein or/and enzyme activity, and gene regulation are involving in mediating toxic and adaptive response to mercury exposure. We conducted here a comprehensive review of mercurial toxic effects on wildlife and human, in particular synthesized key findings of molecular pathways involved in mercurial toxicity from the cells to human. We discuss the molecular evidence related mercurial toxicity to the adverse effects, with particular emphasis on the gene regulation. The further studies relying on Omic analysis connected to adverse effects and modes of action of mercury will aid in the evaluation and validation of causative relationship between health outcomes and gene expression.

Au@gap@AuAg Nanorod Side-by-Side Assemblies for Ultrasensitive SERS Detection of Mercury and its Transformation

As one of the most toxic heavy metal elements, mercury ion (Hg²⁺ ) and its methylated product, methylmercury (MeHg) can pose a threat to human health and the environment. Herein, a novel Raman biosensor with cascade sensitivity is developed for Hg²⁺ detection through Au@gap@AuAg nanorod side-by-side assemblies. Due to the strong electromagnetic coupling from the assemblies and core-shell structure, the Raman sensor possesses high sensitivity with the limit of detection (LOD) of 0.001 ng mL^-1 , which is about one order lower than traditional atomic fluorescence spectrometer (AFS) methods. Moreover, the fabricated biosensor is used to measure residual mercury levels in tissues and eggs of hens fed high-mercury diets, and the results show total mercury in collected egg yolks is 20 times higher than whites. Furthermore, the form of mercury in the eggs is also analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with AFS, and, unexpectedly, the methylated product MeHg tends to only be found in egg whites. These interesting differences may indicate a new research direction for the toxicity of mercury in living organisms, and the developed ultrasensitive Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) method could pave a broad way for the application of biosensors in Hg detection.

Biomarkers of selenium status and antioxidant effect in workers occupationally exposed to mercury

The present observation based research was designed to evaluate the influence of occupational human exposure to metallic mercury (Hg°) vapor on the biomarkers of selenium status involved in the antioxidant defense system. For this purpose we determined Hg and selenium (Se) concentrations in body fluids, the markers of antioxidant effect measured as an activity of Se-dependent enzymes (red blood cell and plasma glutathione peroxidase: GPx1-RBC and GPx3-P), concentration of selenoprotein P in the plasma (SeP-P) and total antioxidant activity in the plasma (TAA-P) in 131 male workers from a chloralkali plant exposed to Hg° and 67 non-exposed males (control group). The mRNA expression levels of glutathione peroxidases (GPX1, GPX3), selenoprotein P (SEPP1), thioredoxin reductase 1 (TRXR1), thioredoxin 1 (TRX1), peroxiredoxins (PRDX1, PRDX2) were also examined in the leukocytes of peripheral blood. Hg concentration in the blood (Hg-B) and urine (Hg-U) samples was determined using the thermal decomposition amalgamation/atomic absorption spectrometry (TDA-AAS) method and Se concentrations in plasma (Se-P) and urine (Se-U) using the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) method. Activities of GPx1-RBC, GPx3-P and TAA-P were determined using the kinetic and spectrophotometric method, respectively. Gene expression analysis was performed using the quantitative Real-Time PCR. The results showed significant higher Hg levels among the Hg°-exposed workers in comparison to control group (12-times higher median for Hg-B and almost 74-times higher median for Hg-U concentration in chloralkali workers). Se-P was also significantly higher (Me (median): 82.85 μg/L (IQR (interquartile range) 72.03-90.28 μg/L) for chloralkali workers vs. Me: 72.74 μg/L (IQR 66.25-80.14 μg/L) for control group; p = 0.0001) but interestingly correlated inversely with Hg-U in chloralkali workers suggesting depletion of the Se protection among the workers with the highest Hg-U concentration. The mRNA level for GPX1, PRXD1 were markedly but significantly higher in the workers compared to the control group. Moreover, concentrations of Hg-B and Hg-U among the workers were significantly positively correlated with the levels of selenoprotein P at both the mRNA and selenoprotein levels. In the multivariate model, after adjusting to cofounders (dental amalgam fillings, age, BMI, job seniority time, smoking), we confirmed that Hg-U concentration was inversely correlated with genes expression of TRXR1. This is the first comprehensive assessment of the impact of occupational exposure of workers to Hg° at both the mRNA and selenoprotein levels, with investigation of fish intake obtained by means of a questionnaire. These findings suggest that exposure to Hg° alters gene expression of the antioxidant enzymes and the level of Se-containing selenoproteins.

Effects of methyl and inorganic mercury exposure on genome homeostasis and mitochondrial function in Caenorhabditis elegans

Mercury toxicity mechanisms have the potential to induce DNA damage and disrupt cellular processes, like mitochondrial function. Proper mitochondrial function is important for cellular bioenergetics and immune signaling and function. Reported impacts of mercury on the nuclear genome (nDNA) are conflicting and inconclusive, and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) impacts are relatively unknown. In this study, we assessed genotoxic (mtDNA and nDNA), metabolic, and innate immune impacts of inorganic and organic mercury exposure in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genotoxic outcomes measured included DNA damage, DNA damage repair (nucleotide excision repair, NER; base excision repair, BER), and genomic copy number following MeHg and HgCl2 exposure alone and in combination with known DNA damage-inducing agents ultraviolet C radiation (UVC) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), which cause bulky DNA lesions and oxidative DNA damage, respectively. Following exposure to both MeHg and HgCl2, low-level DNA damage (∼0.25 lesions/10kb mtDNA and nDNA) was observed. Unexpectedly, a higher MeHg concentration reduced damage in both genomes compared to controls. However, this observation was likely the result of developmental delay. In co-exposure treatments, both mercury compounds increased initial DNA damage (mtDNA and nDNA) in combination with H2O2 exposure, but had no impact in combination with UVC exposure. Mercury exposure both increased and decreased DNA damage removal via BER. DNA repair after H2O2 exposure in mercury-exposed nematodes resulted in damage levels lower than measured in controls. Impacts to NER were not detected. mtDNA copy number was significantly decreased in the MeHg-UVC and MeHg-H2O2 co-exposure treatments. Mercury exposure had metabolic impacts (steady-state ATP levels) that differed between the compounds; HgCl2 exposure decreased these levels, while MeHg slightly increased levels or had no impact. Both mercury species reduced mRNA levels for immune signaling-related genes, but had mild or no effects on survival on pathogenic bacteria. Overall, mercury exposure disrupted mitochondrial endpoints in a mercury-compound dependent fashion.