Methylmercury-induced changes in the activities of neurotransmitter enzymes in nervous tissues of the rat

Abstract

The activities of neurotransmitter-metabolizing enzymes were determined in the nervous tissues of rats treated with methylmercury chloride (10 mg/kg/day, for 7 days). The activity of choline acetyltransferase was lowered consistently in the cytosol and synaptosomal fractions of the brain in methylmercury-treated rats, while changes in acetylcholinesterase activity in the brain subcellular fractions were small. In peripheral nerves, decreases in activities of choline acetyltransferase in the sciatic nerve and of acetylcholinesterase in the dorsal root were most profound. Decreases in these enzyme activities started at an early phase and increased markedly with the progress of intoxication. The activity of acetylcholinesterase in the dorsal root ganglion and in the sciatic nerve was also inhibited significantly at the latent period and more profoundly at the symptomatic period at which time crossing of hind limbs, a typical sign of organomercurial poisoning, was observed in the animals. Activities of tyrosine hydroxylase and monoamine oxidase were elevated in the brain homogenate and especially in the synaptosomal fraction with respect to the former enzyme after methylmercury treatment. Effects of methylmercury in vitro on the activities of these enzymes revealed that a much higher amount of methylmercury was required to produce in vitro an inhibitory action equivalent to that observed in vivo. These results suggest that the neurotoxic action of methylmercury could be mediated, at least in part, through the level of neurotransmitter enzymes.