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Assessment of genotoxicity of inorganic mercury in rats in vivo using both chromosomal aberration and comet assays

2013; SAGE Publishing; Volume: 31; Issue: 7 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1177/0748233712469656

1477-0393

Niladri Bhowmik, Manomita Patra,

Toxic Organic Pollutants Impact

The major objective of the present investigation was to assess the genotoxic effects of mercuric chloride (HgCl 2 ), an inorganic mercury (Hg), in rats ( Rattus norvegicus) using two different genetic endpoints, namely, chromosomal aberration (CA) and comet assays following both short-term (acute) and long-term (chronic) exposures. The study showed that the acute exposures to HgCl 2 at 2 and 5 mg/kg body weight (b.w.) induced nonsignificant effects. HgCl 2 at 10 and 12 mg/kg b.w. was significantly toxic and is exhibited by the induction of different types of CAs like chromatid breaks, chromosomal breaks, clumps and damaged cells and types of comets. HgCl 2 at 15 mg/kg b.w. was found to be highly toxic, as mitostatic condition of cells were observed in CA assay. Chronic exposure to the lowest dose (2 mg/kg b.w.) of HgCl 2 for 15 consecutive days produced a significant genotoxicity. Although Hg was found to induce both DNA strand breakage and chromosomal breaks in a dose-dependent manner, the results of the present investigation showed that the combination of comet and CA assays provided a better choice for assessing the genotoxicity of inorganicHg.