An arsenolipid accumulates in mouse brain following oral exposure

Despite the widespread occurrence of arsenolipids in seafood, and studies with human cells demonstrating their cellular toxicity, the human health risks of ingesting these compounds are largely unknown. In this first experimental animal study we investigated the uptake, transformation and distribution of the arsenohydrocarbon 1-dimethylarsinoylpentadecane, one of the most abundant and cytotoxic arsenolipids present in seafood, in mice following oral exposure. The compound was extensively metabolized, mainly to dimethylarsinate, which was excreted predominantly in urine. Approximately 0.6% of the administered dose was retained in tissues, with the highest concentrations occurring in the brain, where arsenic was present as both the parent arsenohydrocarbon and its thio metabolite. These findings demonstrate that dietary arsenohydrocarbons can reach and persist in brain tissue, highlighting the need for comprehensive hazard assessment and human health risk evaluation of arsenolipids in seafood.