Effects of methylmercuric chloride on the progeny of mice and rats treated before or during gestation

Khera, KS; Tabacova, SA

HERO ID

2533090

Reference Type

Journal Article

Year

1973

Language

English

PMID

4197780

HERO ID 2533090
In Press No
Year 1973
Title Effects of methylmercuric chloride on the progeny of mice and rats treated before or during gestation
Authors Khera, KS; Tabacova, SA
Journal Food and Cosmetics Toxicology
Volume 11
Issue 2
Page Numbers 245-254
Abstract Pregnant mice intubated with mercury as CH3HgCl in doses of 0, 0·1, 1 or 5 mg Hg/kg/day from day 6 to day 17 of pregnancy, inclusive, were allowed to litter. Doses of 5 mg/kg/day caused 100% stillbirths or neonatal deaths but no apparent maternal toxicity. Doses of 1 mg/kg/day induced a transitory inhibition of cerebellar cellular migration from the external granular layer and depressed reactions of oxidative enzymes. These histological changes were not associated with any obvious adverse clinical effects and were not seen at lower doses. Weanling female rats were fed diets containing levels of 0, 0·002, 0·01, 0·05 or 0·25 mg Hg (as CH3HgCl)/kg/day and were mated at maturity with untreated males. Some dams were killed at term and others were allowed to litter. No adverse effect was apparent in foetuses taken at term from dams given up to 0·25 mg Hg/kg/day. Postnatally, developmental defects of undetermined aetiology were observed in the eyelids in animals from all test groups and the controls. These were associated with histological changes in the harderian gland, the exorbital lachrymal gland and the parotid salivary gland. The incidence of ocular defects was dose-related and increased significantly in the group on 0·25 mg Hg/kg/day. Rats with ocular defects were killed and at weaning the remaining offspring from each group were distributed into two sub-groups, one of which was given the appropriate methylmercury-containing diet while the other was reared on control feed. Adult mating within each sub-group revealed that continuation or cessation of treatment with methylmercury had no effect on the production of corpora lutea or on reproductive performance.
Doi 10.1016/S0015-6264(73)80491-2
Pmid 4197780
Wosid WOS:A1973P469100008
Url http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0015-6264(73)80491-2
Is Certified Translation No
Dupe Override No
Is Public Yes
Language Text English
Is Peer Review No
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