Title: Differences in the uptake of cadmium and mercury by rat hepatocyte primary cultures. Role of a sulfhydryl carrier.

Authors: Gerson, R J; Shaikh, Z A

Published In Biochem Pharmacol, (1984 Jan 15)

Abstract: Studies measuring the uptake of cadmium or mercury in isolated hepatocytes demonstrated that hepatocytes accumulated more cadmium than mercury in serum-containing medium, serum-free medium, or balanced salt solution. The preferential hepatocellular accumulation of cadmium, independent of medium composition, suggested that the uptake mechanism for cadmium and mercury might be different in hepatocytes. Pretreatment of hepatocytes with 50 microM N-ethylmaleimide decreased cadmium uptake by 23% while having no effect on the uptake of mercury was inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner. The uptake of cadmium was maximally inhibited (80%) with 75 microM parachloromercuribenzenesulfonate or 20 microM mercury respectively. Cadmium had no effect on mercury. Hepatocytes treated with parachloromercuribenzenesulfonate or mercury accumulated cadmium at a rate closely resembling the rate of mercury uptake in untreated hepatocytes. These results suggested that an SH-containing carrier may be operative in the uptake of cadmium by hepatocytes. Mercury can interact with this carrier to inhibit cadmium uptake; however, this carrier does not appear to facilitate mercury uptake.

PubMed ID: 6704146

MeSH Terms: No MeSH terms associated with this publication