Korean Journal of Physical Anthropology  1996;9(1):109-116

doi:10.11637/kjpa.1996.9.1.109

Study on the Effect of Vitamin E Against Methylmercury-induced Neurotoxicity in Cultured Spinal Motor Neurons .

Yeun Tai CHUNG ; Seung Taeck PARK

Keywords

NSC-19; Antioxidant; Cell culture; Methylmercury

Country

Republic of Korea

Language

Korean

Abstract

In order to investigate the neurotoxic effect of methylmercury (MM) on cultured mouse spinal motoneuron cell line, NSC-19, neurotoxic effect of MM was evaluated by MTT assay after neurons were incubated with various concentrations of methylmercuric chloride (MMC) for 24 hours. In addition, neuroprotective effect of vitamin E against MMC-induced neurotoxicity was examined by MTT assay and neurofilament enzymeimmunoassay (EIA) in these cultures. The results were as follows : 1. MTT50 value was a concentration of 20µM methylmercuric chloride. 2. Methylmercuric chloride was toxic on cultured spinal motor neurons, NSC-19 cells in a time-and dose-dependent manner by severe decrease of cell viability. 3. Methylmercuric chloride induced the decrease of cell number and the loss of neuritis on these cultures. 4. Vitamin E remarkably increased the viabilily of cultured neurons damaged by methylmercury-induced neurotoxicity at a concentration of 250µM vitamin E. From above the results, it is suggested that methylmercury induces severe toxic effect on cultured mouse spinal motor neurons, NSC-19 cells, and the selective antioxidants such as vitamin E are effective in the neurotoxicity induced by methylmercury in these cultures.