GENOTOXICITY OF MERCURY COMPOUNDS

Year 2017, Volume: Volume 2 Issue: İssue 1 (1) - 2.İnternational Congress Of Forensic Toxicology, 195 - 195, 16.02.2017

Bayram Yüksel , Arzu Eroğlu Zeliha Kayaaltı

Abstract

Genetic
toxicology is the scientific discipline concerning with the toxic effects of
chemical, physical and biological agents on deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of
living organisms. Genetic information encoded chemically in DNA is continued,
replicated and transmitted to following generations with high fidelity. Either
direct or indirect damage to DNA can be originated from normal biologic process
or as the result of interaction of DNA with chemical, physical or biological
mechanisms. Mercury exists in elemental, inorganic and organic forms.
Methlymercury has been an environmental interest to public health and
regulatory agencies for many years because of its neurotoxicity. People are at
risk of mercury exposure by fish food, mercury vapor from amalgam tooth
fillings and antiseptic and antifungal agent including organomercury compound
named as thimerosal. Mercury genotoxicity has been generally featured to its
ability to react with the sulfhydryl groups of tubulin, damaging spindle
function and leading to chromosomal defects and polyploidy. Another substantial
mechanism of mercury genotoxicity is its capability to produce free radicals
which can cause DNA damage. In vivo studies have demonstrated a clastogenic
effect of mercury on people who are exposed to this element. Elevated numbers
of chromosome mutaions and micronuclei have been reported in miners, workers of
explosive factories and people who consume contaminated fish. Since genetic
toxicology and toxicogenetic become important scientific fields recently,
mercury compounds which affect DNA and cause to changes on DNA were mentioned
in present review. 

Keywords

GENOTOXICITY OF MERCURY COMPOUNDS

References

• Bayram YÜKSEL, Arzu EROĞLU, Zeliha KAYAALTI
• Ankara Police Forensic Laboratory, Turkish National Police, Ankara, Turkey Ankara University, Institute of Forensic Sciences, Cebeci, Ankara