文章基本信息

标题：Role of Intracellular Defense Factors against Methylmercury Toxicity
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作者：Gi-Wook Hwang
期刊名称：Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin
印刷版ISSN：0918-6158
电子版ISSN：1347-5215
出版年度：2012
卷号：35
期号：11
页码：1881-1884
DOI：10.1248/bpb.b212019
出版社：The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan
摘要：Methylmercury (MeHg) is a causative agent of Minamata disease and an environmental pollutant that comprises a large portion of organically occurring mercury. Many aspects of the biological defense mechanisms against MeHg toxicity remain unclear. Recently, nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), heat shock factor protein 1 (Hsf1), and hydrogen sulfide were identified as intracellular defense factors against MeHg toxicity. These findings suggest that novel biological defense mechanisms against MeHg toxicity exist in the living organism. In addition, the expression of downstream genes that mediate activation of the transcription factors Nrf2 and Hsf1 was markedly induced by MeHg treatment, suggesting that this action is involved in the reduction of MeHg toxicity. On the other hand, when the gaseous form of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) binds directly to MeHg, bismethylmercury sulfide (MeHg-S-HgMe) as a low toxicity metabolite is formed. This suggests the involvement of the gaseous form of H₂S in the reduction of MeHg toxicity. In this topic, we summarize the roles of factors involved in novel biological defense mechanisms against MeHg toxicity.
关键词：methylmercury;nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2;heat shock factor protein 1;hydrogen sulfide