Methylmercury: decreased antibody formation in mice

Journal Article · Thu Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1977 · Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.3181/00379727-155-39859· OSTI ID:5204291

Koller, L D; Exon, J H; Brauner, J A

It has been shown that methylmercury from environmental sources can readily produce toxicity in human beings. Most environmental exposures reported to date involved relatively high methylmercury concentrations and produced clinical signs of mercury poisoning. However, it is equally important to determine whether subclinical doses of methylmercury affect human health. Experiments with animals revealed that subclinical doses of methylmercury increased mortality of mice challenged with an infectious virus. Furthermore, rabbits fed 10 ppM methylmercury for 14 weeks and then exposed to an influenza virus demonstrated decreased circulating antibody titers as compared to those of controls. In this study, we report that methylmercury significantly suppresses antibody synthesis in mice exposed to a nonpathogenic antigen.

• Research Organization: Oregon State Univ., Corvallis
• OSTI ID: 5204291
• Journal Information: Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med.; (United States), Journal Name: Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med.; (United States) Vol. 155; ISSN PSEBA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560305* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Vertebrates-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
ANTIBODY FORMATION
ANTIGEN-ANTIBODY REACTIONS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
DISEASES
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
MAMMALS
METHYLMERCURY
MICE
MICROORGANISMS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC MERCURY COMPOUNDS
PARASITES
RABBITS
RODENTS
TOXICITY
VERTEBRATES
VIRUSES