siRNA-mediated knockdown of the melanocortin 2 receptor accessory protein 2 (MRAP2) gene confers resistance to methylmercury on HEK293 cells

Methylmercury is a well-known environmental pollutant that causes serious disorders of the central nervous system as well as a range of other symptoms. We employed small interfering RNA (siRNA) to search for factors in ligand-dependent signal transduction pathways that may be involved in the development of methylmercury toxicity. Melanocortin 2 receptor accessory protein 2 (MRAP2) is involved in the melanocortin pathway. Using siRNA, we found that decreased expression of MRAP2 conferred strong methylmercury resistance in HEK293 cells.