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PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
1
pubmed:dateCreated
1975-10-30
pubmed:abstractText
Recently the potential toxicity of environmental mercury has become a major concern. Human tissues contain mercury due to daily environmental exposure. Nearly all of the mercury contaminating food is in the form of methylmercury complexes, due to the biotransformation of inorganic mercury. This report compares the reproductive effects of methylmercury hydroxide and mercuric chloride in male mice. The mercuric compounds were administered intraperitoneally once at a dose of 1 mg/kg (based on Hg++ concentration), or spermatogenic cells were exposed in vitro to Hg+ concentrations ranging from 10(-3) to 10(-8)M. Spermatogenic cells were separated for biochemical studies using the velocity sedimentation technique, and in vivo serial mating was used to assess fertility. The effects of CH3Hg+ or Hg++ on the uptake of 3H-thymidine by spermatogonia, 3H-uridine by early elongated spermatids, and 3H-L-leucine by late elongated spermatids were studied. These in vitro experiments indicated that at 1-(-3) m CH2HgOH reduced thymidine incorporation by spermatogonia by 40%, uridine incorporation by elongated spermatids by 39% and L-leucine incorporation by late elongated spermatids by 40%. Results obtained with HgCl2 were similar but of lesser magnitude. In vivo administration of CH3HgOH and HgCl2 significantly inhibited the uptake of thymidine, uridine and L-leucine by their respective spermatogenic cells. Fertility profiles obtained from serial mating studies indicated that the primary effect of CH3HgOH was on spermatogonial cells, premeiotic spermatocytes and early elongated spermatids, with no apparent effect on spermatozoa in testis, peididymis or vas deferentia. HgCl2 also primarily affected spermatogonial and premeiotic cells, but the effect was less than that seen with CH3HgOH. Statistical analysis indicated significant antifertility effects. Inhibition of uptake of thymidine and uridine was well correlated with the functionality of these cells as reflected in the fertility profile, excep for L-leucine uptake. Mercury ion-induced antifertility effects at the dosage used in these experiments are reversible. Thus, these results suggest spermatogenic effects of methylmercury complexes which might have important health consequences in man.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Jul
pubmed:issn
0022-3565
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
194
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
171-81
pubmed:dateRevised
2006-11-15
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1975
pubmed:articleTitle
Effects of mercury on spermatogenesis studied by velocity sedimentation cell separation and serial mating.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Comparative Study, In Vitro