Selenomethionine protects against neuronal degeneration by methylmercury in the developing rat brain.

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Selenium(Se) is an essential element and may play a role for the protection of MeHg toxicity. We have detected the protective effect of Se against neuronal degeneration induced by MeHg in the developing postnatal rat brain by using a postnatal model rat which is suitable to extrapolate the effects of MeHg in the fetus brain of human (Eco Tox Env Saf 2010). In tooth-whales, MeHg concentrations were positively associated with T-Hg concentrations. However, the MeHg concentrations appeared to reach a plateau. In all species of tooth-whales, Se/I-Hg molar ratio decreased with the increase in T-Hg concentrations, and eventually reached a constant ratio of 1 (Se:I-Hg=1:1). EPMA showed that Hg and Se in the bottlenose dolphin existed in the same place. Hg and Se in blood of inhabitants in a whaling town showed significant and positive correlations in both sexes. The increased Se in blood associated with the Hg level may play a role in protecting against MeHg toxicity in the inhabitants.