Date of Award
Winter 12-2019
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department/Program
Forensic Science
Language
English
First Advisor or Mentor
Shu-Yuan Cheng
Second Reader
Anthony Carpi
Third Advisor
Juan Zhen
Abstract
Environmental factors, such as heavy metal exposures, have been suggested to have an impact not only on neurodegenerative disease, such as Parkinson’s disease, but also on psychostimulants abuse and their toxicity. In this study, two questions were addressed: 1) effects of mercuric chloride on parkinsonian toxicant 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+) induced cytotoxicity and 2) effects of mercuric chloride on cell surface dopamine transporter. Pheochromocytorma cells (PC12) were treated with various concentrations of mercuric chloride (0.02~2.0 ppm) for 4 hours with and without 0.1 mM MPP+. Significant potentiation of toxicity was observed when there was co-treatment with 0.5 ppm HgCl2 and 0.1mM MPP+ vs. HgCl2 alone. The potentiation of toxicity with the co-treatment of 0.5 ppm mercuric chloride and 0.1mM MPP+ was not observed in PC12 cells expressing DAT mutant L368Q, which has impaired uptake activity. Cell surface expression of dopamine transporter was quantitatively seen to be transiently increased via western blot analysis which was correspondingly visualized via immunocytochemical assay. In summary, mercuric chloride enhanced MPP+ toxicity in a dopamine transporter-dependent manner and increased the surface expression of dopamine transporter in PC12 cells. This toxicological effect of mercury on dopamine transporter could trigger an unpredicted toxicological/pharmacological interaction with drugs affecting the dopaminergic system.
Recommended Citation
Hui, Christina, "Effects of mercury on the dopamine transporter cell surface expression in PC12 cells" (2019). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/jj_etds/131
Included in
Forensic Science and Technology Commons, Neuroscience and Neurobiology Commons, Toxicology Commons