Low Doses of Methylmercury Induce the Proliferation of Thyroid Cells In Vitro Through Modulation of ERK Pathway

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Diego Russo¹  Valentina Maggisano¹  SaverioMassimo Lepore¹  Marilena Celano¹  Stefania Bulotta¹  Jessica Maiuolo¹  Luana Abballe²  Michelangelo Iannone³ 

[1] Department of Health Sciences, University “Magna Graecia” of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy;Department of translational and precision medicine, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy;National Council of Research (CNR), Institute of Neurological Sciences, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy;

关键词: endocrine disruptors;    thyroid cancer;    mercury;    environmental contaminants;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijms21051556

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Exposure to environmental endocrine disruptors has been associated with an increased frequency of thyroid pathology. In this study, we evaluated the effects of various concentrations of methylmercury (MeHg) on immortalized, non-tumorigenic thyroid cells (Nthy-ori-3-1). Exposure to MeHg at 2.5 and 5 µM for 24 h caused a reduction in cell viability with a decrease of the cell population in sub-G0 phase, as detected by MTT and flow cytometry. Conversely, MeHg at the lower concentration of 0.1 µM increased the cell viability with a rise of G2/M phase. An immunoblot analysis showed higher expression levels of phospho-ERK and not of phospho-Akt. Further enhancement of the cell growth rate was observed after a prolonged exposure of the cells up to 18 days to MeHg 0.1 µM. The present findings demonstrate the toxicity of high concentrations of MeHg on thyroid cells, while showing that treatment with lower doses of Hg, as may occur after prolonged exposure to this environmental contaminant, exerts a promoting effect on thyroid cell proliferation, by acting on the ERK-mediated pro-oncogenic signal transduction pathway.

【 授权许可】

Unknown