Mercury autoimmunity

Mercury Autoimmune disease (a type of glomerular nephritis). 

This chapter reviewed current research pertaining to selected environmental agents and autoimmune diseases (Table 25.3). Other infectious agents (e.g., parvovirus, varicella), occupational exposures (e.g., mercury), dietary factors (dietary supplements, nutrients such as antioxidants, and specific proteins in wheat and other grains implicated in celiac disease), and stress have been the focus of additional research that was not included in this review. 

Balazs, T.Jmmunogenetically controlled autoimmune reactions induced by mercury, gold and D-penicillamine in laboratory animals A review from the vantage point of premarketing safety studies. Toxicol. Ind. Health., 3, 331, 1987... 

Kosuda, L.L.et al., (1994) Role of RT6+ T lymphocytes in mercury-induced renal autoimmunity Experimental manipulations of susceptible and resistant rats. J. Toxicol. Environ. Health, 42, 303, 1994. 

Hultman, P., and Enestrom, S., Dose-response studies in murine mercury-induced autoimmunity and immune-complex disease. Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol., 113, 199, 1992... 

P. Hultman, Effects of inorganic mercury on the murine immune system in vivo. Autoimmunity and systemic immune-complex deposits. Dissertation, Linkdping 1989. 

Silbergeld, E.K., Silva, I.A. and Nyland, J.F. (2005) Mercury and autoimmunity implications for occupational and environmental health. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, 207, 282-292. 

Zargari, A., Gharibdoost, F., DePierre, J.W. and Flassan, M. (2005) Bacterial lipopolysaccharide both renders resistant mice susceptible to mercury-induced autoimmunity and exacerbates such autoimmunity in susceptible mice. Clinical and Experimental Immunology, 141, 238-247. 

Combination vaccines are more convenient in use and are exploited in the familiar DPT and MMR vaccines. However, there is always the possibility of autoimmune reactions and an increased risk of side effects. As noted, these issues have been obscured legally by claims that autism in children is caused by such combinations or the use of thiomersalate as a mercurial preservative. Scientifically it is probably safe to say that these side effects have not been demonstrated convincingly but these issues have caused difficulties for the manufacturers. 

Lead and mercury may cause the development of autoimmunity, in which a person s immune system attacks its own cells. This can lead to joint diseases and ailments of the kidneys, circulatory system, and neurons. At higher doses, lead and mercury can cause irreversible brain damage. 

Heavy metals, like lead and mercury, have been recognized as toxic poisons for centuries. Further, toxic concentrations of mercury, for example, can trigger several effects like autoimmune diseases, infections, unexplained chronic fatigue, depression, nerve impairment, memory problems, decreased mental clarity, and bowel disorders. For several decades, mercury vapor exposure has caused severe health problems among chloralkali workers. This is only an example. It may be repeated that education can effectively minimize exposure to hazardous metals. Basic information and training for proper handling of toxic chemicals will reduce potential adverse health effects. 

Attention has been given to mercury as a cause of autoimmune responses, especially in the kidney (69). Exposure to mercury can cause immune responses to various auto-antigens and autoimmune disease of the kidney and other tissues. Although epidemiological studies have shown that occupational exposure to mercury does not usually result in autoimmunity, mercury can cause the formation of antinuclear antibodies,... 

Haggqvist B, Hultman P Effects ofdeviatingtheTh2-response In murine mercury-induced autoimmunity towards aThI-response. Clin Exp Immunol 2003 134 202-9. 

Zheng Y, Jost M, Gaughan JP, Class R, Coyle AJ, Monestler M ICOS-B7 homologous protein Interactions are necessary for mercury-induced autoimmunity. J Immunol 2005 174 3117-21. 

Zheng Y, Monestler M Inhibitory signal override Increases susceptibility to mercury-induced autoimmunity. J Immunol 2003 171 1596-601. 

Pillion J, Baccala R, Kuhn J, Druet P, Bellon B Evidence for heterogenous TCRVb expression in mercury-induced autoimmune disorders in rats. Int. Immunol. 1997 9 263-271. 

Pelletier L, Pasquier R, Rossert J,Vial M-C, Mandet C, Druet P AutoreactiveT cells in mercury-induced autoimmunity. Ability to induce the autoimmune disease. J. Immunol. 1988 140 750-4. 

Over the past decade there has, as result of experimental studies, been a growing appreciation that mercury may exert an effect on the immune system. As summarized by Silbergeld and Devine [72], mercury has at least two types of effects on the immune system. First, mercury induces autoimmunity to renal basement membrane proteins, causing mercury-induced glomerulonephritis in certain strains of mice and rats. Secondly, mercury exposure impairs cell-mediated and humoral immunity by affecting Thl and Th2 responses, which in turn impairs the body s ability to effectively... 

Hua J, Pelletier L, Berlin M, Druet P. Autoimmune glomerulonephritis induced by mercury vapour exposure in the Brown Norway rat.Toxicology 1993 79 119-29. 

Some rat and mice strains that are susceptible to autoimmune responses develop kidney damage as a result of an immune response when exposed to relatively low levels of mercury vapor or mercury chloride. 

Other experimental evidence suggests that mercury can alter a number of parameters of the host s immune system and lead to increased susceptibility to infections, autoimmune diseases, and allergic manifestations. In workers exposed to mercury vapor concentrations of 0.024-0.09 mg/m3 for less than... 

The immune response to mercury exposure is complex, depending in part on the dose of mercury and the genetic characteristics of the exposed population (see Section 2.4). Administration of 14.8 mg Hg/kg/day as mercuric chloride to B6C3F, mice 5 days a week for 2 weeks resulted in a decrease in thymus weight (NTP 1993), suggesting immune suppression. However, a 2-week exposure to 0.7 mg Hg/kg/day as mercuric chloride in the drinking water resulted in an increase in the lymphoproliferative response after stimulation with T-cell mitogens in a strain of mice particularly sensitive to the autoimmune effects of mercury (SJL/N) (Hultman and Johansson 1991). In contrast, a similar exposure of a strain of mice (DBA/2) not predisposed to the autoimmune effects of mercury showed no increase in lymphocyte proliferation. 

Langworth et al. 1992b). There is limited information in humans that suggests that certain individuals may develop an autoimmune response when exposed to mercury. Deposition of IgG and complement C3 have been observed in the glomeruli of two workers with mercury-induced proteinuria (Tubbs et al. 

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