Risk-benefit assessment in a mammalian model of the consumption of different types of seafood containing high levels of methylmercury

Seafood is the main source of methylmercury in the human diet. However, the outcomes of epidemiological studies in populations exposed to high methylmercury levels from different types of seafood (e.g. fish versus whale) are contradictory. Furthermore, re ported risk assessments of seafood consumption have focussed on negative aspects related to methylmercury and other contaminants, ignoring health benefits from nutrients in seafood including those on cognitive and cardiovascular function. Hence, a series of experiments have been designed that aim to identify mechanistic causative links between developmental exposure to mercury from different seafood sources and neurological aberrations. Using a combination of in vitro (cell culture) and in vivo (mouse) ex periments, the project will integrate responses to methylmercury at a molecular level (i.e. toxicogenomics, biomarkers) with histopathology and established assessments of neurobehavioural performance. The mechanistic nature, and potency, of the protective properties of isolated seafood components (i.e. long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA), vitamins A, D and E, selenium and iodine) will be addressed in cell culture experiments to investigate how these compounds may modulate methylmercury-induce d effects on transcription profiles. Assessment of human health effects generally only consider the risks associated with the contaminant in question, without acknowledging the benefits. The proposed project aims to conduct a risk-benefit assessment of th e consumption of different types of seafood containing high levels of methylmercury in a mammalian model. Considering the economic, societal and health significance of seafood in this country, it is of strategic importance that Norway performs a leading r esearch role in this scientific field.