Hippocampal antioxidant system in neonates from methylmercury-intoxicated rats

Methylmercury (MeHg) is a well-known environmental pollutant toxic to the nervous tissue, particularly during development. We recently described transitory hippocampal changes in neonate rats prenatally exposed to MeHg. In this study, we evaluate oxidative stress in the hippocampus on the 1st and 30th postnatal days. Motor behavior (open-field, foot-fault and strength tests) of these animals also was studied after the 30th postnatal day. Female Wistar rats were injected with MeHg (5 mg/Hg/day) on the 12th, 13th and 14th gestational days. Biochemical parameters measured for oxidative stress were levels of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and catalase (CAT). Total antioxidant reactivity (TAR) and protein oxidation (contents of tryptophan and tyrosine) were also recorded. Our results showed low activities of antioxidant enzymes in the MeHg group at birth. SOD activity remained reduced on the 30th postnatal day. Moreover, a decrease of TAR and protein oxidation was observed only at 30 days of age. No changes were observed in the motor behavior of these animals. Although mercury content in hippocampus is present at undetectable levels at 30 days of age, we observed more persistent changes in oxidative balance. Our data confirm that mercury induces oxidative stress in hippocampus and that this alteration, particularly SOD activity, remained altered even when mercury was no longer present.