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Studies on Mechanism of Neurotoxicity caused by Methylmercury

Research Project

Project/Area Number 62480169
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for General Scientific Research (B)

Allocation TypeSingle-year Grants
Research Field Hygiene
Research InstitutionUniversity of Tsukuba

Principal Investigator

FUJIKI Motoo  University of Tsukuba, Institute of Community Medicine, Professor, 社会医学系, 教授 (10040164)

Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) KOIKE Kazuko  University of Tsukuba, Institute of Community Medicine, Assistant Professor, 社会医学系, 講師 (60110508)
TAJIMA Shizuko  University of Tsukuba, Institute of Community Medicine, Assistant Professor, 社会医学系, 講師 (50040192)
Project Period (FY) 1987 – 1989
Project Status Completed (Fiscal Year 1989)
Budget Amount *help
¥6,100,000 (Direct Cost: ¥6,100,000)
Fiscal Year 1989: ¥1,000,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000)
Fiscal Year 1988: ¥1,000,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000)
Fiscal Year 1987: ¥4,100,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,100,000)
KeywordsMethylmercury / Oral administration / Mitochondria / Haemoglobin / Electron transfer chain / Glutathione / Minamata disease / Rat / ヘモグロビン / シナプトソ-ム / チトクロ-ム / 差スペクトル / システイン / 非結合型メチル水銀 / チトロクロム / 塩化メチル水銀 / メチル水銀中毒モデル / ミトコンドリア呼吸能 / チトクロムC / 差スペクトル法
Research Abstract

In this study, the pharmacokinetics of methylmercury(MM) in rat and its effects on brain mitochondria of rats with the subacute toxicity caused by oral methylmercury chloride administration were investigated.
Oral administration of methylmercury chloride to rat by a stomach tube for 7days at a daily dose of 7.0-8.5mg (as Hg/kg rat weight) induced toxicity symptoms of paralysis and hind limb ataxia.
The results revealed that MM is tightly bound to haemoglobin in the blood. Moreover a possibility was suggested that the MM in the blood formed a complex with the sulfhydryl group of glutathione(GSH), namely GSH-MM complex, and which is then transferred to several organs. It was also suggested that lipid-soluble MM is related with the translocation into the brain,the accumulation in the brain and the excretion from the brain. The effects of MM on sitochondrial respiration in vitro and in vivo was also studied. In vitro,it was indicated that MM reversely inhibited,the process of oxidative phosphorylation, and that the inhibitory site was located in the electron transfer chain between flavin and cytochrome c_1. In vivo,the MM inhibition on the mitochondria was not observed remarkably,however,lipid peroxidation might occur in the synaptosomal fraction.
This study evidently showed that orally administered MM has several biochemical effects on the cellular level.

Report

(4 results)
  • 1989 Annual Research Report   Final Research Report Summary
  • 1988 Annual Research Report
  • 1987 Annual Research Report

URL: 

Published: 1987-04-01   Modified: 2016-04-21  

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