The nail as a noninvasive indicator of methylmercury exposures and mercury/selenium molar ratios in brain, kidney, and livers of Long-Evans rats

Biol Trace Elem Res. 2011 Dec;144(1-3):812-20. doi: 10.1007/s12011-011-9019-8. Epub 2011 Apr 8.

Abstract

Animal studies indicate that the toxic effects of methylmercury (MeHg) exposures increase when selenium (Se) status is low. Toxicity is directly proportional to Hg/Se molar ratios in critical tissues such as brain and increase dramatically as molar ratios exceed 1:1. In this study, we examined the nail as a biomonitor of Hg/Se molar ratios in kidney, liver, and brain tissues of weanling male Long-Evans rats fed controlled diets containing varying amounts of Se and MeHg. Linear regression analyses indicate that the natural log transform of the Hg/Se ratio in the nails is strongly related to the Hg/Se molar ratio in kidney, liver, and brain (p < 0.01 in all cases). The nail appears to be a reliably accurate noninvasive biomonitor of the Hg/Se molar ratio in tissues and should, therefore, be considered for use in human studies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brain Chemistry / drug effects*
  • Diet
  • Environmental Monitoring
  • Hoof and Claw / chemistry*
  • Kidney / chemistry
  • Kidney / drug effects
  • Kidney / metabolism*
  • Linear Models
  • Liver / chemistry
  • Liver / drug effects
  • Liver / metabolism*
  • Mercury / analysis
  • Mercury / metabolism*
  • Methylmercury Compounds / analysis
  • Methylmercury Compounds / metabolism*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Long-Evans
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Selenium / analysis
  • Selenium / metabolism*

Substances

  • Methylmercury Compounds
  • Mercury
  • Selenium