Exposure to mercury induced early apoptotic signals in human placental BeWo cells through alteration of cell cycle regulation

Abstract

Backgrounds Heavy metals are environmental pollutants and their breakdown is regarded as a serious risk to human health. Despite increasing evidence that heavy metals have adverse effects in vivo and in vitro, there is no evidence of the effect of heavy metals during placental formation. Objective We determined the effect of heavy metals on cell viability of BeWo human placental cells using MTS assay and live and dead assay. We also evaluated cell proliferation, cell cycle, and apoptosis by heavy metal treatment using FACS analysis. Results Mercury chloride induces severe cell cycle arrest at the sub-G1 phase by the accumulation of cyclin B. Furthermore, we identified that mercury chloride induces apoptosis by enhancing the activity of caspase-3. However, we were unable to confirm the deleterious effect of lead in BeWo cells. Conclusion Our results suggested that exposure to heavy metals, specifically mercury chloride, induced cytotoxic effects in BeWo cells through cell cycle arrest and apoptosis.