Effects of methylmercury on the pattern of NADPH diaphorase expression and astrocytic activation in the rat.

Mercury (Hg) is an environmental contaminant that poses great risk to human health. However, it is still widely used in artisanal gold-mining enterprises around the world, especially in developing countries. Methylmercury (MeHg) is produced environmentally by biomethylation of inorganic Hg present in water sediments, leading to its subsequent accumulation in the aquatic food chain. Due to its high metabolic rate, the Central Nervous System (CNS) is one of the main targets of MeHg. In the present study, we investigate the impact of chronic MeHg intoxication on NADPH diaphorase (NADPH-d) activity and astrocyte mobilization in the visual cortex of the rat. After 60 days of MeHg administration by oral gavage (0.04 mg/kg/day), tissue samples containing the visual cortex were submitted to measurements of Hg levels, NADPH-d activity, and GFAP immunohistochemistry for identification of astrocytes. MeHg intoxication was associated with increased Hg deposits and with reduced NADPH-d neuropil reactivity in the visual cortex. A morphometric analysis suggested that NADPH-d-positive neurons were mostly spared from MeHg harmful action and intoxicated animals had astrocytic activation similar to the control group. The decrease in NADPH-d neuropil reactivity may be due to the negative effect of chronic MeHg poisoning on both the synthesis and transport of this enzyme in afferent pathways to the visual cortex. The relative resistance of NADPH-d-reactive neurons to chronic MeHg intoxication may be associated with peculiarities in cell metabolism or to a protective role of nitric oxide, safeguarding those neurons from Hg deleterious effects.