FURTHER OBSERVATIONS ON THE ETIOLOGY OF PREECLAMPSIA - MOBILIZATION OF TOXIC CADMIUM-METALLOTHIONEIN INTO THE SERUM DURING PREGNANCY

Cadmium-metallothionein, mobilized from the liver, might be the toxic serum factor associated with pre-eclampsia. We base this on four docum ented concepts. First, during pregnancy, maternal physiology adjusts t o assure the fetus of the proper amounts of nutrients necessary for gr owth. Our focus is on zinc and progesterone. Second, because zine and cadmium are similar, they compete for binding sites. Our focus is on t he storage protein metallothionein. Third, the manifestations of cadmi um toxicity closely mimic the manifestations of toxemia (i.e. hyperten sion, proteinuria, edema). Our focus is on cadmium-induced endovasculi tis. Fourth is the concept that metallothionein-bound cadmium can be m obilized from the liver into the serum during pregnancy as it follows the mobilization of metallothionein-bound zinc. Our focus is on the ex treme toxicity of extracellular cadmium-metallothionein. We correlate these four concepts into a rational theory on the etiology of toxemia, and we suggest a method of proof.