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A Metalloproteomics Study on the Association of Mercury With Breast Milk in Samples From Lactating Women in the Amazon Region of Brazil

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Abstract

This study aimed to identify metalloproteins that lose their metal ions in the presence of mercury (Hg) and bind to Hg in breast milk samples collected from the riverine population of the Madeira River, a tributary of the Amazon River. Initially, total Hg was determined from the hair of lactating women to identify individuals who were contaminated followed by a proteomic analysis of breast milk samples through two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis after acetone precipitation. The presence of Hg in the obtained protein spots was determined by cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry and cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometry. These determinations indicated the presence of Hg in one protein spot, which was then characterized through electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. Based on searches in the UniProt database, this protein spot was identified as lysozyme C.

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Notes

  1. Determination of Total Mercury in Coal and Fly Ash Using Thermal Decomposition and Amalgamation Coupled with Atomic Absorption. PerkinElmer LAS Application Note 008646_01.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Brazilian research funding agency ANEEL/ESBR-P&D: 6631-0001/2012/Contract Jirau 004/2013 and FAPESP (Processes: 2013/21297-1, 2010/51332-5, and 2010/51506-3) for their financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul (INQUI/UFMS), Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

    Felipe André dos Santos

  2. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Institute of Bioscience, São Paulo State University (IB/UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, 18618-970, Brazil

    Bruna Cavecci, José Cavalcante Souza Vieira & Pedro de Magalhães Padilha

  3. Department of Analytical Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, São Paulo State University (IQ/UNESP), Araraquara, São Paulo, Brazil

    Vanessa Pezza Franzini & Ademir Santos

  4. Department of Biochemistry, Bauru Dental School, University of São Paulo (FOB/USP), Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil

    Aline de Lima Leite & Marília Afonso Rabelo Buzalaf

  5. Planaltina Campus, University of Brasilia (UnB), Planaltina, Distrito Federal, Brazil

    Luiz Fabrício Zara

Authors
  1. Felipe André dos Santos
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  2. Bruna Cavecci
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  3. José Cavalcante Souza Vieira
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  4. Vanessa Pezza Franzini
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  5. Ademir Santos
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  6. Aline de Lima Leite
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  7. Marília Afonso Rabelo Buzalaf
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  8. Luiz Fabrício Zara
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  9. Pedro de Magalhães Padilha
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Bruna Cavecci.

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dos Santos, F.A., Cavecci, B., Vieira, J.C.S. et al. A Metalloproteomics Study on the Association of Mercury With Breast Milk in Samples From Lactating Women in the Amazon Region of Brazil. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 69, 223–229 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-015-0161-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-015-0161-8

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