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PreprintCC BYChemRxiv

Selenium Alters the Tissue Distribution of Inorganic but Not Methylmercury in Zebrafish Larvae

  • Natalia V. Dolgova1
  • Olena Ponomarenko1
  • Susan Nehzati1
  • Olga Antipova2
  • Tracy C. MacDonald1,3
  • Kelly L. Summers1,4
  • Ashley K. James1,3
  • Linda I. Vogt1
  • Sanjukta Choudhury1
  • Graham N. George1,3,4
  • Ingrid J. Pickering1,3,4
4 affiliations
  1. 1Department of Geological Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, 114 Science Place, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, S7N 5E2
  2. 2Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 Cass Avenue, Lemont, Illinois, USA, 60439
  3. 3College of Arts and Science, University of Saskatchewan, 44 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, S7N 5B3
  4. 4Department of Chemistry, College of Arts and Science, University of Saskatchewan, 110 Science Place, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, S7N 5C9
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Abstract

Mercury toxicity is strongly influenced by its chemical speciation, with interactions between mercury and selenium species either mitigating or exacerbating toxic effects. Here, synchrotronbased X-ray fluorescence imaging was used to examine the influence of L-selenomethionine on the tissue distributions of inorganic mercury and methylmercury in zebrafish larvae. Inorganic mercury accumulated predominantly in the pronephric ducts and liver, whereas methylmercury was distributed more uniformly throughout the organism. Administration of L-selenomethionine substantially altered the distribution of inorganic mercury and increased selenium accumulation within the pronephric ducts. Subcellular-resolution imaging revealed strong spatial correlations among mercury, selenium, and sulfur following inorganic mercury exposure, revealing mercury-, selenium-, and sulfur-rich domains within the pronephric ducts. In contrast, L-selenomethionine had comparatively little influence on methylmercury distribution, although combined exposure increased tissue sulfur levels. These findings demonstrate fundamentally different interactions of selenium with inorganic and organometallic mercury species in vivo and emphasize the importance of both chemical form and subsequent metabolism in determining mercury–selenium interactions.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@misc{dolgova2026selenium,
  title = {{Selenium Alters the Tissue Distribution of Inorganic but Not Methylmercury in Zebrafish Larvae}},
  author = {Natalia V. Dolgova and Olena Ponomarenko and Susan Nehzati and Olga Antipova and Tracy C. MacDonald and Kelly L. Summers and Ashley K. James and Linda I. Vogt and Sanjukta Choudhury and Graham N. George and Ingrid J. Pickering},
  howpublished = {ChemRxiv},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.26434/chemrxiv.15010929/v1},
  url = {https://chemrxiv.org/doi/full/10.26434/chemrxiv.15010929/v1},
  note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY  - UNPB
TI  - Selenium Alters the Tissue Distribution of Inorganic but Not Methylmercury in Zebrafish Larvae
AU  - Natalia V. Dolgova
AU  - Olena Ponomarenko
AU  - Susan Nehzati
AU  - Olga Antipova
AU  - Tracy C. MacDonald
AU  - Kelly L. Summers
AU  - Ashley K. James
AU  - Linda I. Vogt
AU  - Sanjukta Choudhury
AU  - Graham N. George
AU  - Ingrid J. Pickering
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/23
PB  - ChemRxiv
DO  - 10.26434/chemrxiv.15010929/v1
UR  - https://chemrxiv.org/doi/full/10.26434/chemrxiv.15010929/v1
AB  - Mercury toxicity is strongly influenced by its chemical speciation, with interactions between mercury and selenium species either mitigating or exacerbating toxic effects. Here, synchrotronbased X-ray fluorescence imaging was used to examine the influence of L-selenomethionine on the tissue distributions of inorganic mercury and methylmercury in zebrafish larvae. Inorganic mercury accumulated predominantly in the pronephric ducts and liver, whereas methylmercury was distributed more uniformly throughout the organism. Administration of L-selenomethionine substantially altered the distribution of inorganic mercury and increased selenium accumulation within the pronephric ducts. Subcellular-resolution imaging revealed strong spatial correlations among mercury, selenium, and sulfur following inorganic mercury exposure, revealing mercury-, selenium-, and sulfur-rich domains within the pronephric ducts. In contrast, L-selenomethionine had comparatively little influence on methylmercury distribution, although combined exposure increased tissue sulfur levels. These findings demonstrate fundamentally different interactions of selenium with inorganic and organometallic mercury species in vivo and emphasize the importance of both chemical form and subsequent metabolism in determining mercury–selenium interactions.
ER  -