Fig 1.
Time-line of the experimental design of this study including analysis carried out at each point.
Fig 2.
Cell survival after exposure to methylmercury (MeHg) for 24h.
Cellular viability of cells intoxicated with increased concentrations (panel A) and number of viable and non-viable cells in control and cells exposed to 3 μM (panel B). Insets show micrographs (40X and 100X). Data are expressed as mean ± SEM (n = 4–9). One-way ANOVA followed by post-hoc Tukey test (panel A) and Student’s t-test between control and MeHg groups (panel B) were performed. *P < 0.01 vs all groups.
Fig 3.
Genotoxicity detected after 24h of exposure to 3 μM of methylmercury (MeHg).
DNA fragmentation was analyzed by comet assay (panel A) and indexes of micronuclei, nucleoplasmic bridges and nuclear buds were analyzed by cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay (panel B). Insets show micrographs (100X). Data are reported as mean ± SEM (n = 6). Student’s t-test between control and MeHg groups was performed. *P < 0.01 vs control.
Fig 4.
Alterations of the cell cycle after intoxication with 3 μM of methylmercury (MeHg) for 24h.
Mitotic index (panel A) and cell cycle profile with illustrative spectrograms (panel B) and proportion of events (panel C). Data are shown as mean ± SEM (n = 3). Student’s t-test between control and MeHg groups was performed. *P < 0.01 vs control.
Fig 5.
Cell proliferation after exposure to methylmercury (MeHg) 3 μM for 24h.
Cellular viability was evaluated at the beginning (day 0) and the end (day 1) of exposure and after 24h (day 2) and 48h (day 3) of MeHg withdrawal (panel A). Number of viable cells were registered on day 2 (panel B). Micrographs (40X) of culture confluence at days 0, 1 and 2 are shown (panel C). Data are shown as mean ± SEM (n = 3–9). Student’s t-test between control and MeHg groups of the same day was performed. *P < 0.01 vs control group of the same day.