Reference levels of blood mercury and association with metabolic syndrome in Korean adults.

PURPOSE: Mercury (Hg) is a nonessential and toxic metal that is widely distributed in the environment. This study was performed to estimate the representative blood Hg level, to determine the contributing factors to Hg exposure, and to analyze the association of blood Hg with metabolic syndrome in Korean adults. METHODS: Mercury exposure is assessed by total Hg concentration in blood. A total of 2,114 healthy adults who have not been exposed to Hg occupationally were sampled by the multistaged, sex-, and age-stratified probability method. Information was collected regarding the subjects' demographic characteristics, lifestyles, and past medical history. The participants then underwent physical examination and blood sampling. RESULTS: The geometric mean concentration of Hg in whole blood was 3.90 µg/L, which was significantly influenced by sex, age, smoking, alcoholic consumption, residence area, and seafood intake after adjustment for confounders. Significant increases in body mass index, waist circumference, diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, and triglyceride were observed according to the blood Hg levels after adjustment for covariates. Also, Hg exposure was significantly associated with metabolic syndrome and their components such as obesity and increased fasting glucose. CONCLUSION: The blood Hg level in Korean adults is higher than that in USA and other Western countries, while it is similar to or lower than that in other Asian countries. The blood Hg level is influenced by sociodemographic factors and individual lifestyles including dietary habits. Furthermore, blood Hg is associated with metabolic syndrome, in which Hg exposure may play a role as a possible risk factor for cardiovascular diseases.

Mercury-induced amyloid-beta (Aß) accumulation in the brain is mediated by disruption of Aß transport.

According to a recent study, mercury (Hg) exposure contributes to Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the underlying mechanisms are not understood. This study investigated the effect of methylmercury (MeHg) treatment on the generation, degradation, and transport of amyloid ß-protein (Aß) in the brain. Wistar rats were administered MeHg by gavage (0, 20, 200, and 2,000 µg Hg/kg/day) for 4 weeks. The total Hg in the blood and brain regions was measured, and the levels of Aß42 in plasma, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and brain regions were estimated. The expression of amyloid precursor protein (APP), beta-site APP-cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1), and neprilysin (NEP) in the brain regions was determined, in addition to the expression of low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1) and the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) in the brain capillary endothelium (BCE). Finally, the amount of soluble low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (sLRP) in the plasma was determined. Aß42 levels were decreased in the CSF of the 2,000 µg Hg/kg/day group compared with controls, and Aß42 levels increased in the hippocampus (HC) in a dose-dependent manner. MeHg decreased LRP1 expression but increased RAGE levels in BCE. sLRP levels were decreased in the plasma of the MeHg-treated rats. They were positively correlated with CSF Aß42 and negatively correlated with Aß42 and Hg levels in HC. These results imply that MeHg reduces the transportation of Aß, thereby resulting in the accumulation of the protein in the HC. Plasma sLRP levels may be an early biomarker of Hg-induced Aß accumulation in the brain.