Combined Exposure to Metals in Drinking Water Alters the Dopamine System in Mouse Striatum

Haesoo Kim, Daeun Lee and Kisok Kim
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Haesoo Kim: Collage of Pharmacy, Keimyung University, Daegu 42601, Korea
Daeun Lee: Collage of Pharmacy, Keimyung University, Daegu 42601, Korea
Kisok Kim: Collage of Pharmacy, Keimyung University, Daegu 42601, Korea

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 12, 1-11

Abstract: Environmental exposure to arsenic (As), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd) frequently occurs; however, data on the specific effects of combined exposure on neurotransmission, specifically dopaminergic neurotransmission, are lacking. In this study, motor coordination and dopamine content, along with the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), dopamine transporter (DAT), vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2), and dopamine receptors (DRs), were examined in the striatum of adult male mice following exposure to drinking water containing As, Pb, and/or Cd. We found that exposure to a metal mixture impaired motor coordination. After 4 weeks of treatment, a significant decrease in dopamine content and expression of TH, DAT, and VMAT2 was observed in the striatum of metal-mixture-treated mice, compared to the controls or single-metal-exposed groups. However, DRD1 and DRD2 expression did not significantly change with metal treatment. These results suggest that altered dopaminergic neurotransmission by the collective action of metals may contribute to metal-mixture-induced neurobehavioral disorders.

Keywords: arsenic; lead; cadmium; motor coordination; dopaminergic neurotransmission (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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