Patterns of Changes in Certain Neurospecific Proteins in Patients with Chronic Mercury Intoxication in Post-Contact Period

Abstract—The aim of the study was to identify patterns of change in certain neurospecific proteins (BDNF, S100β, MBP) in the serum of patients with chronic mercury intoxication after stopping exposure to the toxicant. In clinical conditions, men with an established diagnosis of chronic mercury intoxication (CMI) were examined in a distant period after isolation from a toxicant in chemical production. Serum concentrations of neurospecific proteins (BDNF, S100β, MBP) were determined by solid-phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using a commercial test-systems of ChemiKine (United States), CanAg (Sweden), and AnshLabs (United States), respectively. The obtained results indicate and confirm the progression of the disease in the distant, post-exposure period of chronic mercury intoxication, which corresponds to the clinical manifestation of the disease. Elevated serum concentrations of BDNF, S100β protein, and MBP were reported in patients with CMI 5 years after exposure to the toxicant. Long-lasting high levels of neurotrophic proteins may reflect the course of neurodestructive processes occurring in the nervous tissue and the progression of the disease. BDNF deficiency in CMI individuals examined in a linked sample at 8 years post-exposure may be indicative of attenuation of neurogenesis. Further studies will contribute to a more accurate definition and understanding of the use of serum concentrations of BDNF, S100β protein, MBP as markers of pathological process activity and a specific target for effective treatment.