Histopathological Study of The Acute and Chronic Toxic Effects of Dimethyl Mercury on Liver and Kidney of Male Albino Rats

Baker, Semaa Ahmed; Al-Modaress, Semaa Sami; AL-mallah, Karam Hashim

doi:10.21608/javs.2025.364375.1544

Histopathological Study of The Acute and Chronic Toxic Effects of Dimethyl Mercury on Liver and Kidney of Male Albino Rats

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Department of Biology, College of Education for Pure Sciences, University of Mosul, Iraq

² Department of Biology, College of Basic Education, University of Mosul, Iraq

³ Department of Pathology and Poultry disease, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Mosul, Iraq

10.21608/javs.2025.364375.1544

Abstract

For the purpose of evaluating the harmful effect of di-methyl mercury, the well-known pollutant of the aquatic ecosystem, on liver and kidney of mammals with its both short- and long-term toxicity models, the goal was achieved by using twenty-four mature albino male rats, aged between 10 and 12 weeks, which were divided into 3 groups (8 rats for each). These included a control group, group 1 for chronic toxic effects (treated with a 2.5 mg/kg daily dose of di-methyl mercury for 30 days), and group 2 for acute toxic effects (treated with a 5 mg/kg daily dose of di-methyl mercury for 15 days). Four animals of each group were euthanized, and the others were kept to be sacrificed after 30 days as a recovery period. The sections were prepared from liver and kidneys, stained and examined to record and to grade the intensity of histopathological changes. Liver sections elucidated mild to moderate pathological changes in both treated groups, including vacuolar degeneration of hepatocytes, foci of coagulative necrosis, and inflammatory cell deposition mainly composed of lymphocytes, plasma cells and macrophages in peri-portal and Peri-central and peri-sinusoidal areas. Also, the vascular reaction, as hyperemic portal arteries, congested sinusoids and central veins, was present with Kupffer cell proliferation. Cholangitis or cholangiohepatitis were observed in 2.5 and 5 mg methyl mercury-treated groups as a solitary case at the end of exposure or after the recovery period. The examination of the kidney sections explored adverse changes manifested by vascular congestion, cloudy swelling of the renal tubular epithelium, protein cast in the renal tubules, interstitial nephritis and multifocal hemorrhage at the cortex and medulla; these changes were apparent at both acute and chronic models of toxicity. It was clear that the recovery period was not enough to exclude or reverse the toxic effects of methyl mercury because the same changes were present at the end of the recovery period.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Anatomy and Histology

References

REFERENCES:

ABERNETHY, D.R., DESTEFANO, A.J., CECIL, T.L., ZAIDI, K., WILLIAMS, R.L., and USP METAL IMPURITIES ADVISORY PANEL, 2010. Metal impurities in food and drugs. Pharmaceutical research, 27, pp.750-755.

AJIBADE, A.J., ESHO, J.O., KEHINDE, B.D., and ADELEYE, O.O., 2019. Histological and biochemical effects of mercury chloride on the kidney of adult Wistar rats. J Pharm Pharmacol, 1, pp.21-7. https://doi.org/10.36349/easjpp.2019.v01i01.006

CASTOLDI, A.F., JOHANSSON, C., ONISHCHENKO, N., COCCINI, T., RODA, E., VAHTER, M., CECCATELLI, S., and MANZO, L., 2008. Human developmental neurotoxicity of methylmercury: impact of variables and risk modifiers. Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology, 51(2), pp.201-214. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yrtph.2008.01.016.

CHEUK, D. K., and WONG, V., 2006. Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and blood mercury level: a case-control study in Chinese children. Neuropediatrics. 37(4), PP. 234-240. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2006-924577

DA SILVA, D.A.F., TEIXEIRA, C.T., SCARANO, W.R., FAVARETO, A.P.A., FERNANDEZ, C.D., GROTTO, D., BARBOSA JR, F., and KEMPINAS, W.D.G., 2011. Effects of methylmercury on male reproductive functions in Wistar rats. Reproductive Toxicology, 31(4), pp.431-439. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.reprotox.2011.01.002

KIM, S., KIM, G. B., PARK, K. H., KANG, T. S., LEE, J. H., and NAM, S. H., 2006. A study on exposure and health effect of mercury (II) Incheon: National Institute of Environmental Research, pp. 1–115.

KJELLSTROM, T.E., REEVES, R.L., and MITCHELL, J.W., 1982. Comparison of mercury in hair with fish eating habits of children in Auckland. Community health studies, 6(1), pp.57-63. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1753-6405.1982.tb00351.x

LEE, C., CHO, S.D., CHANG, D.S., SHIN, D.H., OH, D.H., WHANG, I.K., KWON, K.S., WOO, G.J., CHUN, H.S., OH, S.S., and KIM, G.H., 2006. Food safety guidelines for consumer. Safe Food, 1(4), pp.31-43.

LIMKE, T.L., HEIDEMANN, S.R., and ATCHISON, W.D., 2004. Disruption of intraneuronal divalent cation regulation by methylmercury: are specific targets involved in altered neuronal development and cytotoxicity in methylmercury poisoning? Neurotoxicology, 25(5), pp.741-760.

MAHMOOD, A. HUSSEIN, MAHA T. AL-SAFFAR ad KARAM H.AL-MALLAH, 2023. Biochemical and histopathological assessment of zinc acetate-induced nephrotoxicity in male albino rats. Journal of Applied Veterinary Sciences, 8 (4): pp. 37-42.

https://dx.doi.org/10.21608/javs.2023.218887.1248

MANAHAN, S. E. 1991. Water Pollution Environment Chemistry, first ed. Lewis Publishers, London.

MELA, M., RANDI, M.A.F., VENTURA, D.F., CARVALHO, C.E.V., PELLETIER, E., and RIBEIRO, C.O., 2007. Effects of dietary methylmercury on liver and kidney histology in the neotropical fish Hoplias malabaricus. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 68(3), pp.426-435. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2006.11.013

MELA, M., CAMBIER, S., MESMER-DUDONS, N., LEGEAY, A., GRÖTZNER, S.R., DE OLIVEIRA RIBEIRO, C.A., VENTURA, D.F., and MASSABUAU, J.C., 2010. Methylmercury localization in Danio rerio retina after trophic and subchronic exposure: a basis for neurotoxicology. Neurotoxicology, 31(5), pp.448-453. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuro.2010.04.009.

MYERS, G.J., DAVIDSON, P.W., and STRAIN, J.J., 2007. Nutrient and methyl mercury exposure from consuming fish. The Journal of nutrition, 137(12), pp.2805-2808. https://doi.org/10.1093 /jn/137.12.2805.

NWANGWA, E.K., NWOKOCHA, C.R., UZUEGBU, U.E., and OVUAKPORAYE, S.I., 2015. The bioaccumulation of mercury in kidney and liver of wistar rat exposed to methyl mercury. Biomedical and Pharmacology Journal, 1(1), pp.47-50. https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:59467386

RABITTO, I.S., COSTA, J.A., DE ASSIS, H.S., PELLETIER, E., AKAISHI, F.M., ANJOS, A., RANDI, M.A.F., and RIBEIRO, C.O., 2005. Effects of dietary Pb (II) and tributyltin on neotropical fish, Hoplias malabaricus: histopathological and biochemical findings. Ecotoxicology and environmental safety, 60(2), pp.147-156.

Salah, B.A., Al-Fathi, M.Y., and Shindala, M.K., 2024. Histological liver, kidney, and brain changes induced by pregabalin drug in albino rats. Iraqi J Vet Sci, 38(3), pp.555-64. https://doi.org/10.33899/ijvs.2024.145830.3398.

SIMENOVA, A.D. 1999. Behavioural, haematological and histological studies on acute toxicity mercury on Salmo gaisdneri Richardson and tilapia rendalli Boulenger. J. Fish Biol, 10, pp.575-582. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8649.1977.tb04090.x

SINGHM, B., and MAURYA, N. K., 2023. Mercury Toxicity: Its Toxic Effect on Fish and Human Health, Vigyan Varta an International E-Magazine for Science Enthusiasts.4(7), pp. 32-35. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/372288739.

SU, J. Y., and CHEN, W. 1979. The effect of methylmercury on isolated cardiac tissues.Am J Pathol. 95(3), pp. 753–764.

VICENTE, É., BOER, M., NETTO, C., FOCHESATTO, C., DALMAZ, C., SIQUEIRA, I.R., and GONÇALVES, C.A., 2004. Hippocampal antioxidant system in neonates from methylmercury-intoxicated rats. Neurotoxicology and teratology, 26(6), pp.817-823. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ntt.2004.08.003

YASUTAKE, A., and HIRAYAMA, K., 1994. Acute effects of methylmercury on hepatic and renal glutathione metabolisms in mice. Archives of toxicology, 68(8), pp.512-516.

ZULKIPLI, S.Z., LIEW, H.J., ANDO, M., LIM, L.S., WANG, M., SUNG, Y.Y., and MOK, W.J., 2021. A review of mercury pathological effects on organs specific of fishes. Environmental Pollutants and Bioavailability, 33(1), pp.76-87. https://doi.org/10.1080/26395940.2021.1920468.