Activation of the unfolded protein response induced by methylmercury in the mouse brain

Abstract

Methylmercury (MeHg) results in neuronal cell death and injures the specific areas of the brain. However, the detailed mechanism has yet to be fully understood. Here, we report a possible involvement of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in MeHg-induced neuronal apoptosis in vivo. We found that ER stress was specifically observed in several specific areas in the cerebral cortex. In addition, we detected the signals derived from the unfolded protein response prior to neuronal apoptosis. These results indicated that ER stress is implicated in the neuronal loss by MeHg.