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Preventive Effect of CuCl 2 on Behavioral Alterations and Mercury Accumulation in Central Nervous System Induced by HgCl 2 in Newborn Rats
Author(s) -
MoraesSilva L.,
Siqueira L. F.,
Oliveira V. A.,
Oliveira C. S.,
Ineu R. P.,
Pedroso T. F.,
Fonseca M. M.,
Pereira M. E.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of biochemical and molecular toxicology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.526
H-Index - 58
eISSN - 1099-0461
pISSN - 1095-6670
DOI - 10.1002/jbt.21569
Subject(s) - cerebrum , cerebellum , aché , mercury (programming language) , saline , central nervous system , chemistry , neurotoxicity , acetylcholinesterase , endocrinology , medicine , toxicity , biochemistry , enzyme , computer science , programming language
This study investigated the benefits of Cu preexposition on Hg effects on behavioral tests, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and Hg, and essential metal contents in the cerebrum and cerebellum of neonate rats. Wistar rats received (subcutaneous) saline or CuCl 2 ·2H 2 O (6.9 mg/kg/day) when they were 3 to 7 days old and saline or HgCl 2 (5.0 mg/kg/day) when they were 8 to 12 days old. Mercury exposure reduced the performance of rats in the negative geotaxis (3–13 days) and beaker test (17–20 days), inhibited cerebellum AChE activity (13 days), increased cerebrum and cerebellum Hg (13 days), cerebrum Cu (13 days), and cerebrum and cerebellum Zn levels (33 days). The performance of rats in the tail immersion and rotarod tests as well as Fe and Mg levels were not altered by treatments. Copper prevented all alterations induced by mercury. These results are important to open a new perspective of prevention and/or therapy for mercury exposure.