Environmental exposure to methylmercury is associated with a decrease in nitric oxide production.
Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol
; 106(5): 411-5, 2010 May.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-20050842
Some studies have recently suggested that mercury (Hg)-exposed populations face increased risks of cardiovascular diseases, and experimental data indicate that such risks might be due to reductions in nitric oxide bioavailability. However, no previous study has examined whether Hg exposure affects plasma nitrite concentrations in humans as an indication of nitric oxide production. Here, we investigated whether there is an association between circulating nitrite and Hg concentrations in whole blood, plasma and hair from an exposed methylmercury (MeHg) population. Hair and blood samples were collected from 238 persons exposed to MeHg from fish consumption. Hg concentrations in plasma (PHg), whole blood (BHg) and hair Hg (HHg) were determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Mean BHg content was 49.8 +/- 35.2 microg/l, mean PHg was 7.8 +/- 6.9 microg/l and HHg 14.6 +/- 10.6 microg/g. Mean plasma nitrite concentration was 253.2 +/- 105.5 nM. No association was found between plasma nitrite concentration and BHg or HHg concentrations in a univariate model. However, multiple regression models adjusted for gender, age and fish consumption showed a significant association between plasma nitrite and plasma Hg concentration (beta = -0.1, p < 0.001). Our findings constitute preliminary clinical evidence that exposure to MeHg may cause inhibitory effects on the production of endothelial nitric oxide.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Exposição Ambiental
/
Compostos de Metilmercúrio
/
Óxido Nítrico
Tipo de estudo:
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Adolescent
/
Adult
/
Aged
/
Animals
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Female
/
Humans
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Male
/
Middle aged
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol
Assunto da revista:
FARMACOLOGIA
/
TOXICOLOGIA
Ano de publicação:
2010
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Brasil
País de publicação:
Reino Unido