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James AK, Dolgova NV, Nehzati S, Korbas M, Cotelesage JJH, Sokaras D, Kroll T, O’Donoghue JL, Watson GE, Myers GJ, Pickering IJ, George GN. Molecular Fates of Organometallic Mercury in Human Brain. ACS Chem Neurosci 2022; 13:1756-1768. [PMID: 35543423 PMCID: PMC9977140 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Mercury is ubiquitous in the environment, with rising levels due to pollution and climate change being a current global concern. Many mercury compounds are notorious for their toxicity, with the potential of organometallic mercury compounds for devastating effects on the structures and functions of the central nervous system being of particular concern. Chronic exposure of human populations to low levels of methylmercury compounds occurs through consumption of fish and other seafood, although the health consequences, if any, from this exposure remain controversial. We have used high energy resolution fluorescence detected X-ray absorption spectroscopy to determine the speciation of mercury and selenium in human brain tissue. We show that the molecular fate of mercury differs dramatically between individuals who suffered acute organometallic mercury exposure (poisoning) and individuals with chronic low-level exposure from a diet rich in marine fish. For long-term low-level methylmercury exposure from fish consumption, mercury speciation in brain tissue shows methylmercury coordinated to an aliphatic thiolate, resembling the coordination environment observed in marine fish. In marked contrast, for short-term high-level exposure, we observe the presence of biologically less available mercuric selenide deposits, confirmed by X-ray fluorescence imaging, as well as mercury(II)-bis-thiolate complexes, which may be signatures of severe poisoning in humans. These differences between low-level and high-level exposures challenge the relevance of studies involving acute exposure as a proxy for low-level chronic exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley K. James
- Toxicology Centre, 44 Campus Drive, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B3, Canada.,Department of Geological Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, 114 Science Place, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E2, Canada
| | - Natalia V. Dolgova
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, 114 Science Place, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E2, Canada
| | - Susan Nehzati
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, 114 Science Place, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E2, Canada
| | - Malgorzata Korbas
- Canadian Light Source, 44 Innovation Blvd, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 2V3, Canada
| | - Julien J. H. Cotelesage
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, 114 Science Place, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E2, Canada
| | - Dimosthenis Sokaras
- Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA
| | - Thomas Kroll
- Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA
| | - John L. O’Donoghue
- Department of Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14642, USA
| | - Gene E. Watson
- Department of Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14642, USA.,Eastman Institute for Oral Health, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14642, USA
| | - Gary J. Myers
- Department of Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14642, USA.,Departments of Neurology and Pediatrics, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14642, USA
| | - Ingrid J. Pickering
- Toxicology Centre, 44 Campus Drive, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B3, Canada.,Department of Geological Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, 114 Science Place, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E2, Canada.,Department of Chemistry, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5C9, Canada.,Corresponding Authors: Ingrid J. Pickering – Department of Geological Sciences, Toxicology Centre, and Department of Chemistry, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon S7N 5E2, Canada; , Graham N. George – Department of Geological Sciences, Toxicology Centre, and Department of Chemistry, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon S7N 5E2, Canada;
| | - Graham N. George
- Toxicology Centre, 44 Campus Drive, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B3, Canada.,Department of Geological Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, 114 Science Place, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E2, Canada.,Department of Chemistry, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5C9, Canada.,Corresponding Authors: Ingrid J. Pickering – Department of Geological Sciences, Toxicology Centre, and Department of Chemistry, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon S7N 5E2, Canada; , Graham N. George – Department of Geological Sciences, Toxicology Centre, and Department of Chemistry, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon S7N 5E2, Canada;
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Horai S, Abiko Y, Unoki T, Shinkai Y, Akiyama M, Nakata K, Kunisue T, Kumagai Y. Concentrations of nucleophilic sulfur species in small Indian mongoose (Herpestes auropunctatus) in Okinawa, Japan. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 295:133833. [PMID: 35120952 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.133833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Revised: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Reactive sulfur species (RSS), such as hydrogen per (poly)sulfide, cysteine per (poly)sulfide, glutathione per (poly)sulfide, and protein-bound per (poly)sulfides, can easily react with environmental electrophiles such as methylmercury (MeHg), because of their high nucleophilicity. These RSS are produced by enzymes such as cystathionine β-synthase (CBS) and cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE) and are found in mammalian organs. Organs of wildlife have not been analyzed for hydrogen sulfide, cysteine, glutathione, and RSS. In this study, low molecular weight nucleophilic sulfur substances, including RSS, were quantified by stable isotope dilution assay-based liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry using β-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethyl iodoacetamide to capture the target chemicals in the small Indian mongoose which species possesses high mercury content as same as some marine mammals. Western blotting revealed that the mongoose organs (liver, kidney, cerebrum, and cerebellum) contained proteins that cross-reacted with anti-CBS and CSE antibodies. The expression patterns of these enzymes were similar to those in mice, indicating that mongoose organs contain CBS and CSE. Moreover, bis-methylmercury sulfide (MeHg)2S, which is a low toxic compound in comparison to MeHg, was found in the liver of this species. These results suggest that the small Indian mongoose produces RSS and monothiols associated with detoxification of electrophilic organomercury. The animals which have high mercury content in their bodies may have function of mercury detoxification involved not only Se but also RSS interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sawako Horai
- Environmental Health Section, Department of Environment and Public Health, National Institute for Minamata Disease, 4058-18 Hama, Minamata, Kumamoto, 867-0008, Japan.
| | - Yumi Abiko
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8575, Japan.
| | - Takamitsu Unoki
- Hygienic Chemistry Section, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, National Institute for Minamata Disease, 4058-18 Hama, Minamata, Kumamoto, 867-0008, Japan.
| | - Yasuhiro Shinkai
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8575, Japan.
| | - Masahiro Akiyama
- Research Center for Drug Discovery, Faculty of Pharmacy and Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Science, Keio University, 1-5-30 Shibakoen, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 105-8512, Japan.
| | - Katsushi Nakata
- Nansei Environmental Laboratory Co., Ltd., 4-4 Agarizaki, Nishihara, Okinawa, 903-0105, Japan.
| | - Tatsuya Kunisue
- Center for Marine Environmental Studies, Ehime University, 2-5 Bunkyo-cho, Matsuyama, Ehime, 790-8577, Japan.
| | - Yoshito Kumagai
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8575, Japan.
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