The Relationship between Liver Dysfunction and Arsenic Methylation in Mice

Abstract

The different methyl metabolic products of inorganic arsenic lead to various toxicities. Arsenic has been demonstrated to induce hepatotoxicity by oxidative stress. The relationship between hepatic injury and inorganic methylation is not yet known. This study was designed to explore the relationship between arsenic methylation and liver oxidative stress induced by arsenic trioxide (ATO). Forty healthy KM mice were randomly divided into control group (0.9% saline) and As 2 O 3 (1.0 mg/Kg/day, 2.0 mg/Kg/day, 4.0 mg/Kg/day) groups with gastric perfusion for five weeks using high-efficiency liquid chromatography and hydride genesis atomic fluorescence spectroscopy (HPLC-HGAFS). The products of arsenic trioxiode methylating, including trivalent inorganic arsenic (iAs 3+ ), pentavalent inorganic arsenic (iAs 5+ ), mono methyl arsenic (MMA), and dimethyl arsenic (DMA) in the liver were determined. The indexes of arsenic methylation, including primary methyl index (PMI) and second methyl index (SMI) were calculated. The level of hepatic function and activity of MDA, GSH, SOD, and TAOC were detected with kits. We found that the remaining arsenic metabolic products in liver significantly increased with the increasing doses of arsenic trioxide and the liver function and oxidative stress deteriorated. Negative correlations were found between MMA%, PMI and GSH, SOD, and TAOC, while DMA% and SMI positively correlated with the levels of ALT and AST. PMI and SMI negatively correlated with TAOC, GSH, SOD, ALT, and AST, positively linked with the level of MDA. The present study demonstrates that the hepatotoxicity induced by the arsenic accounts for deteriorating oxidative injury activized by arsenic methylation metabolism, providing additional evidence to suggest a mechanism of arsenic poisoning. Therefore, reducing the process of arsenic methylation may be potentially benefical in treating and -more importantly -preventing arseniasis.

Factors Affecting Arsenic Methylation in Arsenic-Exposed Humans: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…Arsenic enters an organism via the respiratory tract, alimentary canal, and skin, and it is primarily metabolized in the liver [ 3 ]. The metabolic pattern has primarily been regarded as occurring through oxidative methylation [ 4 ], which was formerly considered a detoxification pattern [ 5 ]. However, monomethylarsonous acid (MMA III ) and dimethylarsonous acid (DMA III ) have recently been shown to be more poisonous than inorganic arsenic (iAs) [ 6 , 7 ].…”

Microbiological Indoor and Outdoor Air Quality in Chicken Fattening Houses

“…The numbers and types of airborne bacteria are useful indicators for assessing the adverse effects of human exposure to these emissions [ 25 ]. This human health risk assessment is used to assess health hazards associated with exposure to airborne bacteria and fungi [ 26 ]. The concentrations and emissions of pathogenic bacteria and fungi in the air depend on the health of the chickens when they are raised in the poultry house.…”