Cent Eur J Public Health 2013, 21(1):30-35 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a3773

Influence of Gestational Exposure on the Effects of Prenatal Exposure to Methyl Mercury on Postnatal Development in Rat: a Preliminary Evaluation

Dinesh N. Gandhi, Govind M. Panchal, Dinesh K. Dhull
Department of Neurobehavioural Toxicology, National Institute of Occupational Health (ICMR), Meghaninagar, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India

Fish and other aquatic organisms are important source of dietary proteins for the human population. Fish meat, however, is contaminated with methyl mercury (MeHg), a potent neurotoxin. The well known Minamata and Niigata epidemic outcomes in Japan have raised the awareness of the health risk resulting from consumption of fish (and shellfish) from water basins polluted with industrial wastes containing mercury. In the present study, pregnant rat dams were exposed to environmental toxic elements - methyl mercury, 1000-1200 h, daily from the fifth gestation day (GD5) till parturition. Three groups of animals were given, by gavages, MeHg (0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mg/kg/day) and control group received 0.9% saline at the same time. All animals were allowed to deliver and wean their offspring. Pups were evaluated for early development effects. There was a significant effect of treatment on somatic growth such as reduction in percentage of maternal weight gain (20.62%) at higher dose level whereas there was no change in percentage of live birth (100.00%) with 0.5 and 1.0 mg/kg dose treatment groups. There was a significant increase in the percentage of resorption (100.00%) per litter with 2.0 mg/kg/day MeHg dose. Average gestation length (days) and percentage resorption per litter or percentage foetuses/malformations per litter were not affected at 0.5 and 1.0 mg/kg/day dose level. The results of the study confirmed the high-teratogenic potential of MeHg and the need of payng increased attention to MeHg concerning its exogenous use during pregnancy.

Keywords: methyl mercury, prenatal exposure, postnatal development, maternal toxicity, fetotoxicity, rats

Received: March 9, 2012; Revised: October 23, 2012; Accepted: October 23, 2012; Published: March 1, 2013  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago Chicago Notes IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Gandhi DN, Panchal GM, Dhull DK. Influence of Gestational Exposure on the Effects of Prenatal Exposure to Methyl Mercury on Postnatal Development in Rat: a Preliminary Evaluation. Cent Eur J Public Health. 2013;21(1):30-35. doi: 10.21101/cejph.a3773. PubMed PMID: 23741897.
Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    References

    1. Takeuchi T. Human effects of methylmercury as an environmental neurotoxicant. In: Blum K, Manzo L, editors. Neurotoxicology. New York: Marcel Dekker; 1985. p.345-67.
    2. Amin-Zaki L, Elhassani S, Majeed MA, Clarkson TW, Doherty RA, Greenwood M. Intra-uterine methylmercury poisoning in Iraq. Pediatrics. 1974 Nov;54(5):587-95. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    3. Grandjean P, Weihe P, White RF, Debes F, Araki S, Yokoyama K, et al. Cognitive deficit in 7-year-old children with prenatal exposure to methylmercury. Neurotoxicol Teratol. 1997 Nov-Dec;19(6):417-28. Go to original source...
    4. Eccles CU,Annau Z. Prenatal methyl mercury exposure: I.Alterations in neonatal activity. Neurobehav Toxicol Teratol. 1982 May-Jun;4(3):371-6. Go to PubMed...
    5. Grandjean P, Landrigan PJ. Developmental neurotoxicity of industrial chemicals. Lancet. 2006 Dec 16;368(9553):2167-78. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    6. Vorhees CV. Behavioral effects of prenatal methylmercury in rats: a parallel trial to the Collaborative Behavioral Teratology Study. Neurobehav Toxicol Teratol. 1985 Nov-Dec;7(6):717-25. Go to PubMed...
    7. FredrikssonA, GårdlundAT, Bergman K, OskarssonA, Ohlin B, Danielsson B, et al. Effects of maternal dietary supplementation with selenite on the postnatal development of rat offspring exposed to methyl mercury in utero. Pharmacol Toxicol. 1993 Jun;72(6):377-82. Go to original source...
    8. Sitarek K, Gralewicz S. Early developmental effects of separate or combined perinatal exposure to methylmercury (MeHg) and 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (PCB 153) in the rat. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2009;22(2):89-105. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    9. Domingo JL. Metal-induced developmental toxicity in mammals: a review. J Toxicol Environ Health. 1994 Jun;42(2):123-41. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    10. Barna B, SzászA, Gajda Z, Galbács Z, Kirsch-Volders M, Szente M. Effects of chronic, intrauterine organic and inorganic mercury intoxication on the epileptogenicity of developing rat. Cent Eur J Public Health. 2000 Jul;8 Suppl:73-5.
    11. Amin-Zaki L, Majeed MA, Elhassani SB, Clarkson TW, Greenwood MR, Doherty RA. Prenatal methylmercury poisoning. Clinical observations over five years. Am J Dis Child. 1979 Feb;133(2):172-7. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    12. RossiAD,Ahlbom E, Ogren SO, Nicotera P, Ceccatelli S. Prenatal exposure to methylmercury alters locomotor activity of male but not female rats. Exp Brain Res. 1997 Dec;117(3):428-36. Go to original source...
    13. Cernichiari E, Brewer R, Myers GJ, Marsh DO, Lapham LW, Cox C, et al. Monitoring methylmercury during pregnancy: maternal hair predicts fetal brain exposure. Neurotoxicology. 1995 Winter;16(4):705-10.
    14. Lapointe G, Nosal G. A rat model of neurobehavioral development. Experientia. 1979 Feb 15;35(2):205-7. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    15. Kandel, E.R. Cellular basis of behaviour: an introduction to behavioral neurobiology. San Francisco: W. H. Freeman; 1976.
    16. Olczyk K, Kucharz EJ, GłowackiA. Influence of chronic mercury poisoning upon the connective tissue in rats. I. Effect of mercuric chloride on glycosaminoglycan levels in tissues, serum and urine. Cent Eur J Public Health. 1994 Dec;2(2):77-9.
    17. Mutter J, Naumann J, Guethlin C. Comments on the article "The toxicology of mercury and its chemical compounds" by Clarkson and Magos (2006). Crit Rev Toxicol. 2007;37(6):537-49. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    18. Geier DA, Kern JK, Geier MR. A prospective study of prenatal mercury exposure from maternal dental amalgams and autism severity. Acta Neurobiol Exp (Wars). 2009;69(2):189-97. Go to PubMed...
    19. Wranová K, Čejchanová M, Spěváčková V, Korunová V, Vobecký M, Spěváček V. Mercury and methylmercury in hair of selected groups of Czech population. Cent Eur J Public Health. 2009 Mar;17(1):36-40. Go to original source...
    20. Snell K, editor. Developmental toxicology. London: Croom Helm; 1982.
    21. Fuyuta M, Fujimoto T, Hirata S. Embryotoxic effects of methylmercuric chloride administered to mice and rats during orangogenesis. Teratology. 1978 Dec;18(3):353-66. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    22. Su MQ, Okita GT. Embryocidal and teratogenic effects of methylmercury in mice. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 1976 Oct;38(1):207-16. Go to original source...
    23. Yasuda Y, Datu AR, Hirata S, Fujimoto T. Characteristics of growth and palatal shelf development in ICR mice after exposure to methylmercury. Teratology. 1985 Oct;32(2):273-86. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    24. World Health Organization. Methylmercury. Environmental health criteria 101. Geneva: WHO; 1990.
    25. Harada M. Minamata disease: methylmercury poisoning in Japan caused by environmental pollution. Crit Rev Toxicol. 1995;25(1):1-24. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    26. Piedrafita B, Erceg S, Cauli O, Felipo V. Developmental exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls or methylmercury, but not to its combination, impairs the glutamate-nitric oxide-cyclic GMP pathway and learning in 3-month-old rats. Neuroscience. 2008 Jul 17;154(4):1408-16. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    27. Sitarek K, Gralewicz S. Early developmental effects of separate or combined perinatal exposure to methylmercury (MeHg) and 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (PCB 153) in the rat. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2009;22(2):89-105. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    28. Hughes JA, Annau Z. Postnatal behavioral effects in mice after prenatal exposure to methylmercury. Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 1976 Apr;4(4):385-91. Go to original source...
    29. Burbacher TM, Mohamed MK, Mottett NK. Methylmercury effects on reproduction and offspring size at birth. Reprod Toxicol. 19871988;1(4):267-78. Go to original source...
    30. Buelke-Sam J, Kimmel CA, Adams J, Nelson CJ, Vorhees CV, Wright DC, et al. Collaborative BehavioralTeratology Study: results. Neurobehav Toxicol Teratol. 1985 Nov-Dec;7(6):591-624. Go to PubMed...
    31. Elsner J, Suter KE, Ulbrich B, Schreiner G.Testing strategies in behavioral teratology: IV. Review and general conclusions. Neurobehav Toxicol Teratol. 1986 Sep-Oct;8(5):585-90. Go to PubMed...
    32. Laviola G, Sedowofia K, Innes J, Clayton R, ManningA. Genetic differences in maternal behaviour patterns in mice administered phenobarbital during pregnancy. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 1990;102(3):383-90. Go to original source...

    Return to the content