INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: Mercury is a metal that is widely used in hundreds of applications nowadays. This metal has proved to be extremely toxic in humans, especially for the central nervous system, both in cases of exposure from everyday applications (e.g. dental fillings) and from environmental exposure. Unfortunately, most of the research carried out on this metal is relatively recent and many questions remain unanswered. The aim of this work is to review all the knowledge we have at the present time about the mechanisms of action of this metal. DEVELOPMENT: To do so, we discuss the latest scientific findings about the toxic processes that are activated, as well as its effects on the cellular cytoskeleton, its genotoxicity or the production of compounds that have been linked to neurodegeneration. CONCLUSIONS: Its prolonged period of latency, ambiguous symptoms and the activation of generalised toxic mechanisms call for urgent efforts to be made in basic research to help determine as clearly as possible the way this metal acts in the body. This knowledge will provide us not only with the way to obtain therapies but also with the hope of developing biomarkers that make it possible to carry out early and reliable diagnoses of the damage done and of individual susceptibility.
INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: Mercury is a metal that is widely used in hundreds of applications nowadays. This metal has proved to be extremely toxic in humans, especially for the central nervous system, both in cases of exposure from everyday applications (e.g. dental fillings) and from environmental exposure. Unfortunately, most of the research carried out on this metal is relatively recent and many questions remain unanswered. The aim of this work is to review all the knowledge we have at the present time about the mechanisms of action of this metal. DEVELOPMENT: To do so, we discuss the latest scientific findings about the toxic processes that are activated, as well as its effects on the cellular cytoskeleton, its genotoxicity or the production of compounds that have been linked to neurodegeneration. CONCLUSIONS: Its prolonged period of latency, ambiguous symptoms and the activation of generalised toxic mechanisms call for urgent efforts to be made in basic research to help determine as clearly as possible the way this metal acts in the body. This knowledge will provide us not only with the way to obtain therapies but also with the hope of developing biomarkers that make it possible to carry out early and reliable diagnoses of the damage done and of individual susceptibility.
Authors: R C Rodríguez Martín-Doimeadios; J J Berzas Nevado; F J Guzmán Bernardo; M Jiménez Moreno; G P F Arrifano; A M Herculano; J L M do Nascimento; M E Crespo-López Journal: Environ Sci Pollut Res Int Date: 2014-03-05 Impact factor: 4.223
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Authors: Janayne L Silva; Paola C L Leocádio; Jonas M Reis; Gianne P Campos; Luciano S A Capettini; Giselle Foureaux; Anderson J Ferreira; Cláudia C Windmöller; Flávia A Santos; Reinaldo B Oriá; Maria E Crespo-López; Jacqueline I Alvarez-Leite Journal: Toxicol Res Date: 2020-11-05
Authors: Jamile Salim Marinho; Marcelo Oliveira Lima; Elisabeth Conceição de Oliveira Santos; Iracina Maura de Jesus; Maria da Conceição N Pinheiro; Cláudio Nahum Alves; Regina Celi Sarkis Muller Journal: Biomed Res Int Date: 2014-03-11 Impact factor: 3.411
Authors: María Elena Crespo-Lopez; Allan Costa-Malaquias; Edivaldo H C Oliveira; Moysés S Miranda; Gabriela P F Arrifano; José R Souza-Monteiro; Fernanda Espirito-Santo Sagica; Enéas A Fontes-Junior; Cristiane S F Maia; Barbarella M Macchi; José Luiz M do Nascimento Journal: PLoS One Date: 2016-09-13 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Maria Elena Crespo-López; Ericks Sousa Soares; Barbarella de Matos Macchi; Leticia Santos-Sacramento; Priscila Yuki Takeda; Amanda Lopes-Araújo; Ricardo Sousa de Oliveira Paraense; José Rogério Souza-Monteiro; Marcus Augusto-Oliveira; Diandra Araújo Luz; Cristiane do Socorro Ferraz Maia; Hervé Rogez; Marcelo de Oliveira Lima; João Paulo Pereira; Diomar Cavalcante Oliveira; Rommel Rodrigues Burbano; Rafael Rodrigues Lima; José Luiz Martins do Nascimento; Gabriela de Paula Arrifano Journal: Nutrients Date: 2019-10-26 Impact factor: 5.717