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Cell Biology International (2007) 31, 1057–1062 (Printed in Great Britain)

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Effects of HgCl2 on porphobilinogen-synthase (E.C. 4.2.1.24) activity and on mercury levels in rats exposed during different precocious periods of postnatal life

N.C. Peixoto^ab, C.P. Kratz^b, T. Roza^b, V.M. Morsch^ab and M.E. Pereira^ab*

^aPrograma de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica Toxicológica, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, 97105-900, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
^bDepartamento de Química, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, 97105-900, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil

Abstract

Porphobilinogen-synthase (PBG-synthase) is an enzyme extensively used as a bioindicator of metals and other oxidizing agents. The objective of this study was to verify the effects of HgCl2 (5mg/kg/day, s.c.), a metal that mainly affects the nervous and renal systems, on kidney, liver and brain from rats exposed during one of the phases considered critical for development. Mercury decreased PBG-synthase activity from liver, kidney and brain and altered corporal, renal and cerebral weights. The kidney was the most sensitive tissue. It accumulated a large amount of metal and PBG-synthase activity was decreased up to 50%. The second period seemed to be the most sensitive, because in this phase the rats presented alterations in body, brain and kidney weights, and there was also an expressive inhibition in hepatic and renal PBG-synthase activities. In general, large quantities of metal accumulated in the tissues are in agreement with the inhibition verified in these tissues.

Key words: Neonate rats, Mercuric chloride, Mercury levels, PBG-synthase.

^*Corresponding author. Departamento de Química, CCNE, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, 97105-900 – Santa Maria, RS, Brazil. Tel./fax: +55 55 3220 8799.

Received 19 December 2005/23 February 2007; accepted 21 March 2007