Research Mentor Name
Dr. Anil Aranha
Research Mentor Email Address
aaranha@med.wayne.edu
Institution / Department
Wayne State University School of Medicine/ Medical Education & Internal Medicine
Document Type
Research Abstract
Research Type
clinicalresearch
Graduate Level Research
yes
Abstract
Background and Purpose: Mercury is a pervasive environmental contaminant, and human epidemiologic studies have linked chronic low-level exposure to increased autoimmune disease-risk. Dysregulated lymphocyte activation and impaired signaling tolerance are central mechanisms in human autoimmunity. Protein phosphorylation governs lymphocyte differentiation and function, alterations in phosphoproteomic networks may represent a signature of immune disruption. This study evaluates how low dose mercury exposure modifies B and T cell abundance and intracellular signaling patterns in BALB/c and Diversity Outbred (DO) mice.
Methods: BALB/c and DO mice were exposed to low dose HgCl2 in their water for two weeks or provided standard water controls. Spleens were harvested, and lymphocytes were isolated by negative selection. Flow cytometry quantified changes in adaptive and innate immune subsets. Isolated lymphocytes underwent ex vivo stimulation or control treatment before lysis. Proteins were digested, phosphopeptides enriched by TiO2 affinity, and phosphoproteomes analyzed by tandem mass-spectrometry in BALB/c mice.
Results: Mercury exposure significantly increased the proportion of splenic B cells and decreased T cell abundance, reflecting immune shifts consistent with patterns seen in environmental-triggered autoimmunity. Ex-vivo stimulation markedly increased phosphopeptide abundance in cells isolated from both control and mercury exposed mice, indicating preserved signaling responsiveness.
Conclusion: Low dose mercury exposure produced measurable alterations in lymphocyte cellular composition while maintaining intracellular signaling networks in the mice. These findings mirror immune perturbations associated with environmental toxicant exposure in humans. And support the use of this model to evaluate host genetics that modulate susceptibility to mercury induced autoimmunity.
Disciplines
Allergy and Immunology | Animals | Environmental Education | Environmental Health | Environmental Public Health | Environmental Studies | Immunopathology | Medicine and Health Sciences | Oncology | Other Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences | Pharmacology | Toxicology
Recommended Citation
Lee, Maurgan; Stemmer, Paul; Gill, Randall; Rosenspire, Allen; Aranha, Anil; and Gibson, Heather, "Environmental Mercury Alters Immune Pathways Linked to Autoimmune Risk in Mice Mirroring Humans" (2026). Medical Student Research Symposium. 506.
https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/som_srs/506
Included in
Allergy and Immunology Commons, Animals Commons, Environmental Education Commons, Environmental Health Commons, Environmental Public Health Commons, Environmental Studies Commons, Immunopathology Commons, Oncology Commons, Other Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Commons, Pharmacology Commons, Toxicology Commons