Ultrastructural alterations produced in cockerels after mercuric chloride toxicity and subsequent interaction with an organophosphate insecticide.

Ultrastructural changes of liver and kidneys of cockerels exposed to mercuric chloride and subsequent interaction with methylobromofenvinphos (IPO 63 compound) were studied. Group A birds were treated for 4 weeks with 300 ppm mercuric chloride in drinking water; Group B birds were treated for 4 weeks with mercuric chloride followed by single oral dose of 240 mg/kg of IPO 63; Group C 240 mg/kg IPO 63 only; and Group D, unexposed controls. Hepatocytes of mercury-IPO 63 interaction group B showed large lysosomes containing myelin bodies, swollen mitochondria with cristeolysis, dilated endoplasmic reticulum and numerous vacuoles containing granular material. Mercury-intoxicated birds showed similar but less severe changes, whereas IPO 63-treated birds showed accumulation of glycogen granules, fat droplets, and few lysosomal bodies as well as other changes. Renal corpuscles of kidney from mercury-IPO 63 interaction birds revealed minor ultrastructural changes as vacuolation, swollen mitochondria of podocytes and slight thickening of the glomerular basement membrane. Proximal tubular cells showed extreme damage such as, microvillar loss, dilation of endoplasmic reticulum, accumulation of lysosomal bodies, glycogen granules, myelin figures, swollen mitochondria with granular material, numerous vacuoles containing degenerated membranous organelles and distorted, pyknotic nucleus with marked dilation of nuclear membrane. Mercury intoxicated birds showed similar but less pronounced changes in tubules. These observations suggest that the effect of mercuric chloride toxicity and then interaction with an organophosphorus insecticide causes extreme damage to hepatic and renal cells that appears to be additive.