ISSN:
1432-0703
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Energy, Environment Protection, Nuclear Power Engineering
,
Medicine
Notes:
Abstract The effect of selenium and methylmercury upon liver glutathione concentration and glutathione-S-transferase activity was investigated in mice. Intraperitoneal injections of methylmercury produced a decrease in liver glutathione and an increase in glutathione-S-transferase. The response to methylmercury was similar in both selenium-control and selenium-deficient animals. Selenium administered alone produced an increase in glutathione and glutathione-S-transferase activity in the selenium-deficient animals but had little effect in the selenium-control animals. However, in both selenium-control and selenium-deficient mice the injection of selenium prior to methylmercury reduced the effect of methylmercury upon glutathione-S-transferase. Furthermore, this study demonstrated that following methylmercury administration the liver glutathione level dropped drastically within 2 days, but that it was 6 days before the rise in glutathione-S-transferase activity reached a peak. The results from this study suggest that one of the interactions of selenium and methylmercury, which may be involved in the amelioration of methylmercury toxicity, occurs at the time both metals are metabolized in the liver.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01055612
Permalink