Effect of methylmercury on the activity of glutathione peroxidase in rat liver

Journal Article · Mon Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1986 · Am. Ind. Hyg. Assoc. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/15298668691390223· OSTI ID:6787647

Hirota, Y

The effect of methylmercury on the activity of glutathione peroxidase in rat liver was studied in vivo. A daily dose of 10mg methylmercuric chloride/kg body weight was administered subcutaneously to 15 male Wistar rats for 10 days, and the glutathione peroxidase activity in the liver was measured to compare with the control activity. A marked decrease was observed in the glutathione peroxidase activity in the experimental animals, which measured as low as 40% in comparison to that in the control animals. It can be speculated that the inhibition of glutathione peroxidase activity plays a significant role in the development of mercury toxicity and that the protective effect of selenium and vitamin E on the mercury intoxication might be partly due to preserving the glutathione peroxidase activity in the antioxidative defense mechanisms.

• Research Organization: Ministry of Health and Welfare, Tokyo, Japan
• OSTI ID: 6787647
• Journal Information: Am. Ind. Hyg. Assoc. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Am. Ind. Hyg. Assoc. J.; (United States) Vol. 47:9; ISSN AIHAA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
BODY
DATA
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
ELEMENTS
ENZYME ACTIVITY
ENZYMES
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
GLANDS
INFORMATION
INHIBITION
LIVER
MAMMALS
MERCURY COMPOUNDS
METHYLMERCURY
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC MERCURY COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
OXIDOREDUCTASES
PEROXIDASES
RATS
RESPONSE MODIFYING FACTORS
RODENTS
SELENIUM
SEMIMETALS
TOXICITY
VERTEBRATES
VITAMIN E
VITAMINS