Brain selective expression of chemokines by methylmercury

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26550037
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Risk sciences of radiation and chemicals
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: Naganuma Akira 東北大学, 薬学研究科(研究院), 教授 (80155952)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 有害化学物質 / 遺伝子 / 蛋白質 / 環境 / 生体分子

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We found that methylmercury induces the gene expression of chemokines, CCL3 and CCL4, specifically in the brain of mice. The induction of expression of both chemokines by methylmercury was also observed in mouse cultured cells (C17.2 cells). We searched a promoter region, using a reporter assay, involved in CCL4 induction by methylmercury. We found that the promoter region from transcription initiation cite to 50 bp of upper reaches is essential for the CCL4 induction by methylmercury. Furthermore, it was confirmed that the binding of both transcription factors to this region were increased by methylmercury.

Free Research Field

分子毒性学