Global chemokine expression in methylmercury-treated mice: methylmercury induces brain-specific expression of CCL3 and CCL4

J Toxicol Sci. 2013;38(6):925-9. doi: 10.2131/jts.38.925.

Abstract

We previously reported that methylmercury induces brain-specific upregulation of a chemokine gene, the CCL4 gene. In this study, we investigated the changes in gene expression levels of all chemokines in various tissues (cerebellum, cerebrum, kidney, liver, and spleen) of methylmercury-treated mice. We found that methylmercury induced upregulation of the CCL4 gene and the CCL3 gene, in a brain-specific manner. This finding suggests that upregulation of these two chemokine genes mediates selective damage by methylmercury in the central nervous system.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brain / metabolism*
  • Chemokine CCL3 / genetics*
  • Chemokine CCL4 / genetics*
  • Gene Expression / drug effects*
  • Male
  • Methylmercury Compounds / toxicity*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism*
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Tissue Distribution
  • Up-Regulation / drug effects*

Substances

  • Chemokine CCL3
  • Chemokine CCL4
  • Methylmercury Compounds
  • RNA, Messenger
  • methylmercuric chloride