PREVENTION OF MERCURY-INDUCED EXCITOTOXICITY IN PRESYNAPTIC BRAIN NERVE TERMINALS WITH CARBON DOTS

Aim. Xenobiotic metal mercury is one of the major crucial pollutants of global public health concerns according to the World Health Organization assessment. Carbon-containing nanoparticles (CNPs) are promising in nanotechnology. CNPs were obtained by the combustion of citric acid and urea. Methods. The cortex nerve terminals isolated from Wistar rats were used in the experiments. [14C]glutamate uptake and release in the nerve terminals were monitored using a radiolabeled assay. Results. It was shown that HgCl2 starting from 5 µM caused a concentration-dependent increase in the extracellular L-[14C]glutamate level in nerve terminals resulted from weak functioning of glutamate transporter, and so significantly decreased L-[14C] glutamate uptake. Combined effects of Hg2+ and CNPs obtained by heating of citric acid and urea were analysed. CNPs were able to mitigate in an acute manner excitotoxic Hg2+-induced increase in the extracellular L-[14C]glutamate level in nerve terminals by 37%, thereby being a provisional Hg2+ scavenger. Conclusion. Besides biotechnological implementation of data, developed approach can be applicable for monitoring capability of different particles and compounds to mitigate Hg2+ -mediated threat.