Identification of proteins associated to mercury in hepatic tissue of rats: study of the effect of exposure frequency

• Grant number: 19/05298-4
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): July 01, 2019
• Effective date (End): June 30, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry - Chemistry of Macromolecules
• Principal researcher: Pedro de Magalhães Padilha
• Grantee: Maria Gabriela de Albuquerque Santiago
• Home Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IBB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Mercury is a toxic, dangerous and responsible element for environmental contamination and human intoxication. Depending on the chemical form, mercury can cause serious and even irreversible damage. The symptoms of mercury poisoning and their severity are dependent on the concentration and frequency of exposure, factors that are related to the occurrence of accumulation in the body. In addition, the deleterious effects of mercury in several systems are associated with oxidative stress, even when mercury species are in low concentrations. Based on the foregoing, the general objective of the work proposal will be to identify proteins associated to mercury using metalloproteomic tools in hepatic tissue samples from rats exposed to different concentrations of mercury chloride. For this the following bioanalytical strategies will be used: proteome fractionation of hepatic tissue samples by 2D PAGE; mapping of mercury in protein spots by GFAAS; characterization of the proteins associated with mercury by ESI-MS-MS and the use of bioinformatics procedures that may contribute to the knowledge of these proteins at physiological and functional levels, metabolic pathways and protein-protein interactions.