Abstract
Methylmercury (MeHg) toxicity is associated with extensive neuronal degeneration of dorsal root ganglia (DRG). This study aimed to assess the ameliorative effect of bee venom (BV) on methyl mercury chloride (MeHgCl)-induced peripheral neurotoxicity using DRGs in rats. Forty-eight adult male Sprague Dawley rats were allocated into four equal groups: G I: control (gavaged MilliQ water 1 ml/rat), G II: subcutaneously injected with BV (0.5 mg/kg b.wt), G III: gavaged MeHgCl (6.7 mg/kg b.wt), and G IV: received MeHgCl+BV. Dosing was done five times/week for 2 weeks. Ataxic behavior and visual impairments were significantly increased, whereas the movement behavior and motility gait were suppressed in the MeHgCl group. MeHgCl significantly decreased total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in DRG and significantly decreased the serum levels of glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin 1β (IL-1β) levels were significantly elevated, whereas interleukin 10 (IL-10) levels were significantly decreased in the MeHgCl group compared with the control group. DRGs of the MeHgCl-exposed rats showed pyknotic shrunken neurons with perineural vacuolations, demyelination of nerve axons, and proliferation of the satellite cells. MeHgCl significantly induced a higher positive index ratio of Iba-1, SOX10, neurofilament, pan-neuron, and vimentin immunostaining in the DRG. BV administration significantly mitigated the MeHgCl-induced alterations in oxidative stress-related indices. BV modified the immunostaining of Iba-1, SOX10, neurofilament, pan-neuron, and vimentin-positive index ratio in the DRG of the MeHgCl group. Our findings acknowledged that BV could enhance in vivo neuroprotective effects against MeHgCl-induced DRGs damage in male rats.
•Bee venom ameliorates dorsal root ganglia neural (DRG) degeneration induced by methyl mercury.•Bee venom modifies neuro-behavioral alterations induced by methyl mercury in male rats.•Bee venom suppressed serum inflammatory cytokines induced by methyl mercury in rats.•Bee venom boosts the antioxidants serum levels of SOD, CAT, and GSH altered by methyl mercury.•Methyl mercury altered Iba1, Sox10, neurofilament, pan neuron, and vimentin expression in DRG.