The use of platelet monoamine oxidase-B as a biomarker for mercury neurotoxic effects among Inuit in Arctic Canada.

Mercury (Hg) is a widespread neurotoxin, therefore it is important to identify a biomarker of effect in populations that could be at risk of Hg exposure. Platelet monoamine oxidase (MAO) could be a biomarker since animal studies indicate that brain and platelet MAO activity decreases as blood Hg increases. This study examined the relationship between blood Hg and platelet MAO activities among Inuit in the Canadian Arctic. This study found an increase in platelet MAO activities as blood Hg levels increased, which could be due to the high selenium (Se) in the population. This study then examined the relationship between Hg and MAO activities in an established cell line (SH-SY5Y) and found that Hg treated cells had an increase in MAO activities, but no changes occurred in MAO-A mRNA levels. Discrepancies between animal studies and these in vitro results could be due to differences between cell lines and whole organisms. --P.ii.