Methylmercury modulation of monocyte chemotactic protein-1 mRNA expression in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

ABSTRACT

The effect of methylmercury (MeHg; CH3HgCl) on the gene expression of monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) was examined. PBMC were exposed with or without thrombin (1 U/ml) or MeHg (0.3 or 3.0 microM) for 24 hours. The total RNA was reverse transcribed and then amplified by the method of reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Thrombin enhanced MCP-1 mRNA expression in PBMC. MeHg inhibited thrombin-stimulated MCP-1 mRNA expression in a dose dependent manner. These findings suggest that MeHg affects the atherosclerotic process by changing MCP-1 mRNA expression in PBMC.