Skip Navigation



ToxSci Advance Access published online on June 15, 2005
Toxicological Sciences, doi:10.1093/toxsci/kfi227
This Article
Right arrow Advance Access manuscript (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
87/1/169    most recent
kfi227v1
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Morken, T. S.
Right arrow Articles by Syversen, T.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Morken, T. S.
Right arrow Articles by Syversen, T.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© The Author 2005. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Toxicology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oupjournals.org
Received April 5, 2005
Accepted June 11, 2005

Neurotoxicology

Effects of methylmercury on primary brain cells in mono and co-culture

Tora Sund Morken 1, Ursula Sonnewald 1, Michael Aschner 2, and Tore Syversen 1*

1 Department of Neuroscience, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, N-7489 Trondheim, Norway
2 Departments of Pediatrics and Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, B-3307 Medical Center North, 1162 21st Avenue, Nashville, TN 37232-2495, USA

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
Tore Syversen, E-mail: tore.syversen{at}ntnu.no


  Abstract

We report on the uptake of MeHg in astrocytes and neurons, as well as specific indicators of neurotoxicity. Cerebellar granule neurons and astrocytes separately and in co-culture were cultured in presence of MeHg and changes in 3-[4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2, 5 diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT)-reduction, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage and cellular content of glutathione and amino acids were used as indicators of MeHg toxicity. Mitochondria in cortical astrocytes were slightly more sensitive than those in cerebellar astrocytes to the toxic effects of MeHg; furthermore, cellular integrity was better preserved in cerebellar astrocytes. When neurons and astrocytes from cerebellum were incubated in separable co-cultures using inserts, the astrocytes showed cellular damage at lower exposure to MeHg while neurons showed less changes compared to respective cell types in mono cultures. Mercury uptake studies at 25 µM MeHg (10% serum present) showed that for neurons in co-culture the uptake was 1/3 compared to mono cultures. Contrary, for astrocytes the co-culture uptake was increased by 75%. A MeHg concentration-dependent increase of glutamate content in mono cultures was noted. When MeHg concentration was increased to 10, 25 or 50 µM, neurons in co-cultures decreased their glutamate content whereas astrocytes showed an increase. Other amino acids, such as glutamine, serine, valine, isoleucine, taurine and phenylalanine were unaffected by MeHg. Glutathione content showed MeHg concentration-dependent changes in astrocytes and was increased in neurons in co-culture incubated with 5 µM MeHg. In conclusion, astrocytes appear to increase neuronal resistance, indicating a possible protective role for astrocytes in MeHg neurotoxicity.

Keywords: Methylmercury; astrocytes; neurons; glutamate; MTT; LDH; amino acids.
Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Toxicol SciHome page
M. D. Rand, C. E. Bland, and J. Bond
Methylmercury Activates Enhancer-of-Split and Bearded Complex Genes Independent of the Notch Receptor
Toxicol. Sci., July 1, 2008; 104(1): 163 - 176.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Toxicol SciHome page
P. Kaur, K. Schulz, M. Aschner, and T. Syversen
Role of Docosahexaenoic Acid in Modulating Methylmercury-Induced Neurotoxicity
Toxicol. Sci., December 1, 2007; 100(2): 423 - 432.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Hum Exp ToxicolHome page
I. Vendrell, M. Carrascal, M.-T. Vilaro, J. Abian, E. Rodriguez-Farre, and C. Sunol
Cell viability and proteomic analysis in cultured neurons exposed to methylmercury
Human and Experimental Toxicology, April 1, 2007; 26(4): 263 - 272.
[Abstract] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.