Changes in Intraepidermal Nerve Fiber and Langerhans Cell Densities in the Plantar Skin of Rats After Mercuric Chloride Exposure

The study investigated the effects of mercuric chloride (HgCl2) exposure on intraepidermal nerve fiber density (IENFD) and Langerhans cells (LCs) in the plantar skin of male Sprague–Dawley rats. Rats were divided into three groups and given different doses of HgCl2 for 21 days. The results showed that all HgCl2 groups experienced weight and hair loss, thermal hypersensitivity, and mechanical hyposensitivity. There was a significant decrease in IENFD and an increase in LCs density in most groups, indicating damage to small nerve fibers due to mercury poisoning. A significant correlation was found between the decrease in IENFD and the increase in LCs densities, suggesting that mercury exposure affected nerve and immune cell densities in the skin.