Maternal methylmercury exposure changes the proteomic profile of the offspring's salivary glands: Prospects on translational toxicology

Priscila Cunha Nascimento; Walessa Alana Bragança Aragão; Leonardo Oliveira Bittencourt; Aline Dionizio; Marilia A R Buzalaf; Maria Elena Crespo-Lopez; Rafael Rodrigues Lima

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0258969

Maternal methylmercury exposure changes the proteomic profile of the offspring's salivary glands: Prospects on translational toxicology

PLoS One. 2021 Nov 8;16(11):e0258969. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258969. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Priscila Cunha Nascimento¹, Walessa Alana Bragança Aragão¹, Leonardo Oliveira Bittencourt¹, Aline Dionizio², Marilia A R Buzalaf², Maria Elena Crespo-Lopez³, Rafael Rodrigues Lima¹

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory of Functional and Structural Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Para, Belém, PA, Brazil.
² Department of Biological Sciences, Bauru School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil.
³ Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Para, Belém, PA, Brazil.

Abstract

Background: Methylmercury (MeHg) remains a public health issue since developing organisms are particularly vulnerable to this environmental contaminant. This study investigated the effect of maternal MeHg exposure on the modulation of proteomic profile of parotid (PA), submandibular (SM), and sublingual (SL) glands of offspring rats.

Materials and methods: Pregnant Wistar rats were daily exposed to 40 μg/kg MeHg during both gestational and lactation periods. The proteomic profiles of the major salivary glands of the offspring rats were analyzed through mass spectrometry.

Results: The offspring rats exposed to MeHg showed significant alterations in the proteomic profiles of the PA, SM, and SL glands. Altered proteins were associated with cytoskeleton components, tissue morphogenesis, and response to stimulus and stress.

Conclusion: This original study showed that maternal MeHg exposure significantly modulates the expression of proteins and induces alterations in the proteomic profiles of developing salivary glands.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Female
Humans
Lactation / drug effects
Male
Mass Spectrometry
Maternal Exposure / adverse effects
Maternal Exposure / prevention & control
Methylmercury Compounds / toxicity*
Morphogenesis / drug effects
Pregnancy
Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / chemically induced
Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / genetics*
Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / pathology
Proteome / drug effects*
Proteome / genetics
Rats
Salivary Glands / drug effects*
Salivary Glands / metabolism

Substances

Methylmercury Compounds
Proteome

Grants and funding

This study was supported by the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico – Brasil (CNPq) (grant no. 435093/ 2018-5) and the Coordination of Personal Improvement of Higher Education – (CAPES - Finance Code 001). The APC was funded by Pró-Reitoria de Pesquisa e Pós-graduação da Universidade Federal do Pará (PROPESP-UFPA). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.