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  • Amyloid domains in the cell nucleus controlled by nucleoskeletal protein lamin B1 reveal a new pathway of mercury neurotoxicity. 25699204

    Mercury (Hg) is a bioaccumulating trace metal that globally circulates the atmosphere and waters in its elemental, inorganic and organic chemical forms. While Hg represents a notorious neurotoxicant, the underlying cellular pathways are insufficiently understood. We identify amyloid protein aggregation in the cell nucleus as a novel pathway of Hg-bio-interactions. By mass spectrometry of purified protein aggregates, a subset of spliceosomal components and nucleoskeletal protein lamin B1 were detected as constituent parts of an Hg-induced nuclear aggregome network. The aggregome network was located by confocal imaging of amyloid-specific antibodies and dyes to amyloid cores within splicing-speckles that additionally recruit components of the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Hg significantly enhances global proteasomal activity in the nucleus, suggesting that formation of amyloid speckles plays a role in maintenance of protein homeostasis. RNAi knock down showed that lamin B1 for its part regulates amyloid speckle formation and thus likewise participates in nuclear protein homeostasis. As the Hg-induced cascade of interactions between the nucleoskeleton and protein homeostasis reduces neuronal signalling, amyloid fibrillation in the cell nucleus is introduced as a feature of Hg-neurotoxicity that opens new avenues of future research. Similar to protein aggregation events in the cytoplasm that are controlled by the cytoskeleton, amyloid fibrillation of nuclear proteins may be driven by the nucleoskeleton.
    Document Type:
    Reference
    Product Catalog Number:
    MAB1574
    Product Catalog Name:
    Anti-Polyglutamine-Expansion Diseases Marker Antibody, clone 5TF1-1C2

  • Simultaneous determination of trace levels of ethylmercury and methylmercury in biological samples and vaccines using sodium tetra(n-propyl)borate as derivatizing agent 17340078

    Because of increasing awareness of the potential neurotoxicity of even low levels of organomercury compounds, analytical techniques are required for determination of low concentrations of ethylmercury (EtHg) and methylmercury (MeHg) in biological samples. An accurate and sensitive method has been developed for simultaneous determination of methylmercury and ethylmercury in vaccines and biological samples. MeHg and EtHg were isolated by acid leaching (H2SO4–KBr–CuSO4), extraction of MeHg and EtHg bromides into an organic solvent (CH2Cl2), then back-extraction into Milli-Q water. MeHg and EtHg bromides were derivatized with sodium tetrapropylborate (NaBPr4), collected at room temperature on Tenax, separated by isothermal gas chromatography (GC), pyrolysed, and detected by cold-vapour atomic fluorescence spectrometry (CV AFS). The repeatability of results from the method was approximately 5–10% for EtHg and 5–15% for MeHg. Detection limits achieved were 0.01 ng g-1 for EtHg and MeHg in blood, saliva, and vaccines and 5 ng g-1 for EtHg and MeHg in hair. The method presented has been shown to be suitable for determination of background levels of these contaminants in biological samples and can be used in studies related to the health effects of mercury and its species in man. This work illustrates the possibility of using hair and blood as potential biomarkers of exposure to thiomersal.
    Document Type:
    Reference
    Product Catalog Number:
    Multiple

  • Comparative study on the response of rat primary astrocytes and microglia to methylmercury toxicity. 21351162

    As the two major glial cell types in the brain, astrocytes and microglia play pivotal but different roles in maintaining optimal brain function. Although both cell types have been implicated as major targets of methylmercury (MeHg), their sensitivities and adaptive responses to this metal can vary given their distinctive properties and physiological functions. This study was carried out to compare the responses of astrocytes and microglia following MeHg treatment, specifically addressing the effects of MeHg on cell viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and glutathione (GSH) levels, as well as mercury (Hg) uptake and the expression of NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). Results showed that microglia are more sensitive to MeHg than astrocytes, a finding that is consistent with their higher Hg uptake and lower basal GSH levels. Microglia also demonstrated higher ROS generation compared with astrocytes. Nrf2 and its downstream genes were upregulated in both cell types, but with different kinetics (much faster in microglia). In summary, microglia and astrocytes each exhibit a distinct sensitivity to MeHg, resulting in their differential temporal adaptive responses. These unique sensitivities appear to be dependent on the cellular thiol status of the particular cell type.
    Document Type:
    Reference
    Product Catalog Number:
    AP182F

  • Cadmium-induced testicular injury. 19236889

    Cadmium (Cd) is an environmental toxicant and an endocrine disruptor in humans and rodents. Several organs (e.g., kidney, liver) are affected by Cd and recent studies have illustrated that the testis is exceedingly sensitive to Cd toxicity. More important, Cd and other toxicants, such as heavy metals (e.g., lead, mercury) and estrogenic-based compounds (e.g., bisphenols) may account for the recent declining fertility in men among developed countries by reducing sperm count and testis function. In this review, we critically discuss recent data in the field that have demonstrated the Cd-induced toxicity to the testis is probably the result of interactions of a complex network of causes. This is likely to involve the disruption of the blood-testis barrier (BTB) via specific signal transduction pathways and signaling molecules, such as p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). We also summarize current studies on factors that confer and/or regulate the testis sensitivity to Cd, such as Cd transporters and metallothioneins, the impact of Cd on the testis as an endocrine disruptor and oxidative stress inducer, and how it may disrupt the Zn(2+) and/or Ca(2+) mediated cellular events. While much work is needed before a unified mechanistic pathway of Cd-induced testicular toxicity emerges, recent studies have helped to identify some of the likely mechanisms and/or events that take place during Cd-induced testis injury. Furthermore, some of the recent studies have shed lights on potential therapeutic or preventive approaches that can be developed in future studies by blocking or minimizing the destructive effects of Cd to testicular function in men.
    Document Type:
    Reference
    Product Catalog Number:
    05-537
    Product Catalog Name:
    Anti-FAK Antibody, clone 4.47

  • Putative Epimutagens in Maternal Peripheral and Cord Blood Samples Identified Using Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells. 26339649

    The regulation of transcription and genome stability by epigenetic systems are crucial for the proper development of mammalian embryos. Chemicals that disturb epigenetic systems are termed epimutagens. We previously performed chemical screening that focused on heterochromatin formation and DNA methylation status in mouse embryonic stem cells and identified five epimutagens: diethyl phosphate (DEP), mercury (Hg), cotinine, selenium (Se), and octachlorodipropyl ether (S-421). Here, we used human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) to confirm the effects of 20 chemicals, including the five epimutagens, detected at low concentrations in maternal peripheral and cord blood samples. Of note, these individual chemicals did not exhibit epimutagenic activity in hiPSCs. However, because the fetal environment contains various chemicals, we evaluated the effects of combined exposure to chemicals (DEP, Hg, cotinine, Se, and S-421) on hiPSCs. The combined exposure caused a decrease in the number of heterochromatin signals and aberrant DNA methylation status at multiple gene loci in hiPSCs. The combined exposure also affected embryoid body formation and neural differentiation from hiPSCs. Therefore, DEP, Hg, cotinine, Se, and S-421 were defined as an "epimutagen combination" that is effective at low concentrations as detected in maternal peripheral and cord blood.
    Document Type:
    Reference
    Product Catalog Number:
    MAB3584
    Product Catalog Name:
    Anti-Heterochromatin Protein-1 α Antibody, clone 2HP-1H5

  • Photocoagulation of human plasma: acyl serine proteinase photochemistry. 2304978

    Human alpha-thrombin or bovine Factor Xa was acylated at the active site serine hydroxyl with alpha-methyl-2-hydroxy-4-diethylaminocinnamic acid. These modified serine proteinase enzymes showed no plasma coagulation biological activity in the absence of light. Photolysis of the acyl serine proteinase enzymes in plasma for 1-35 s with monochromatic 366 nm light isolated from a high pressure mercury arc results in coagulation of the plasma. For example, photolysis of 3 NIH U of the acyl human alpha-thrombin for 5 s in human plasma results in a clot in 23 s. For comparison, 1 NIH U of unmodified human alpha-thrombin gave a clot in 21 s under the conditions of the assay but without photolysis. Appropriate controls showed that the coagulation is the result of the formation of active thrombin due to photodeacylation of the enzymes. The photoinduced clotting time measured is dependent on acyl thrombin concentration and photolysis time. Thus higher concentrations of acyl thrombin and longer photolysis times give a shorter clotting time. A kinetic scheme based upon Lineweaver-Burke analysis of the clotting process is developed.
    Document Type:
    Reference
    Product Catalog Number:
    ABC459
    Product Catalog Name:
    Anti-NOX4 Antibody

  • Relationship among placental cadmium, lead, zinc, and copper levels in smoking pregnant women. 17205983

    Previous studies on Cd-exposed pregnant animals have reported a Cd-Zn interaction that result in increased placental Cd levels and decreased placental Zn transport. In this study, placental Cd, Pb, Cu, and Zn status in pregnant women exposed to Cd and Pb through cigarette smoke was investigated. Placental tissues obtained from 30 nonsmokers (controls), 70 passive smokers, and 90 smokers were analyzed for Cu and Zn levels using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer and for Pb and Cd levels using an EG&G PARC Model 303A hanging mercury drop electrode. The result showed that whereas the placental Cd and Pb levels in smokers were higher that those of nonsmokers, Cu and zinc levels were lower in nonsmokers. These results imply that smoking during pregnancy could be harmful for both the mother and the fetus.
    Document Type:
    Reference
    Product Catalog Number:
    06-114

  • Molecular characterization of an aquaporin cDNA from brain: candidate osmoreceptor and regulator of water balance. 7528931

    The aquaporins transport water through membranes of numerous tissues, but the molecular mechanisms for sensing changes in extracellular osmolality and regulating water balance in brain are unknown. We have isolated a brain aquaporin by homology cloning. Like aquaporin 1 (AQP1, also known as CHIP, channel-forming integral membrane protein of 28 kDa), the deduced polypeptide has six putative transmembrane domains but lacks cysteines at the known mercury-sensitive sites. Two initiation sites were identified encoding polypeptides of 301 and 323 amino acids; expression of each in Xenopus oocytes conferred a 20-fold increase in osmotic water permeability not blocked by 1 mM HgCl2, even after substitution of cysteine at the predicted mercury-sensitive site. Northern analysis and RNase protection demonstrated the mRNA to be abundant in mature rat brain but only weakly detectable in eye, kidney, intestine, and lung. In situ hybridization of brain localized the mRNA to ependymal cells lining the aqueduct, glial cells forming the edge of the cerebral cortex and brainstem, vasopressin-secretory neurons in supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei of hypothalamus, and Purkinje cells of cerebellum. Its distinctive expression pattern implicates this fourth mammalian member of the aquaporin water channel family (designated gene symbol, AQP4) as the osmoreceptor which regulates body water balance and mediates water flow within the central nervous system.
    Document Type:
    Reference
    Product Catalog Number:
    AG777
    Product Catalog Name:
    Aquaporin 4, control peptide for AB3068