Transporters LAT-1 and MRP-2 as a key factor of methylmercury cytotoxicity specific in rat dorsal root ganglion cells in culture

Abstract

Methylmercury (MeHg) exhibits neurotoxicity and caused Minamata disease. Sensory neuron is highly susceptible to MeHg. In this study, we found that the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) were much more sensitive to than anterior horn cells and Schwann cells. Among these cell types, methylmercury most highly accumulated in DRG. The constitutive expression level of LAT-1 was higher and that of MRP-2 was lower in DRG. These results suggest that the susceptibility of DRG to MeHg is due to the constitutive expression levels of LAT-1 and MRP-2, which enables MeHg to accumulate highly within the cells.