Methylmercury detoxification mechanism by the exosomal secretory pathway

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25660174
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Aquatic life science
• Research Institution: Fisheries Research Agency
• Principal Investigator: IMAMURA Shintaro 独立行政法人水産総合研究センター, 中央水産研究所, 研究員 (80510007)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: メチル水銀 / エキソソーム / ゼブラフィッシュ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To analyze detoxification mechanism to reduce methylmercury (MeHg) toxicity by selenium, we report evidence that a novel Se-containing compound, selenoneine accelerates the excretion and demethylation of MeHg though exosomal secretion. When the embryos were microinjected with MeHg-Cys into yolk sac, the secreted exosomes released into rearing water from the embryos. The exosomes were released in cultured medium by MeHg injection in a dose dependent manner. Selenoneine is incorporated into cells by an organic cations/carnitine transporter-1 (octn1). In octn1-/- fish line, the exosomal secretion and Hg excretion were suppressed. Therefore, the exosomal secretory pathway was accelerated by selenoneine incorporated into cells through octn1 and might mediate MeHg detoxification.

Free Research Field

分子生物学