Proteome changes in the somatosensory cortex of rats upon chronic exposure to low-dose methyl-mercury

Abstract

Acute intake of high dose of MeHg through seafood consumption can cause severe neurotoxicity, including numbness of skin, loss of physical coordination, difficulty in speech, narrowing of the visual field and death. Thus, the possible harmful effects of chronic intake of low dose of MeHg from contaminated seafood became a public concern. However, the possible harmful effect is unknown. This current study was aimed to investigate the possible harmful effects using different proteomic techniques in a rat model. Results of this study inferred that the chronic exposure to low dose of MeHg causes the down-regulations of large number of proteins, which are involved in glycolysis, citrate cycle, Adenosine-5'-triphosphate (ATP) production, protein synthesis, cytoskeletal formation and synaptic transmission in the somatosensory cortex. Changes observed in the proteome are similar to the changes observed in the aging process, and some neurodegenerative diseases. Moreover, the decrease in calcium, pyruvate and ATP level are suspected to be the cause of the changes in the proteome after the chronic exposure. Decreased expression of these proteins invariably led to accelerate aging process and increase the risk of having neurodegenerative disease.