Hepatic and renal metallothionein induction by an oral equimolar dose of zinc, cadmium or mercury in mice

The hepatic and the renal subcellular distribution of zinc, cadmium or merc ury and induction of tissue metallothionein (MT) at 24, 48 and 72 h followi ng an oral equimolar dose (15 mu mol metal/kg) of zinc (II) chloride, cadmi um (II) chloride or mercury (II) chloride in male albino mice were investig ated. There was a moderate increase in hepatic and renal zinc levels mainly in their nuclear mitochondrial fraction (NMF) 24 h post zinc chloride admi nistration. Subsequently, the hepatic zinc increased and the renal zinc dec lined with time. The zinc-induced hepatic MT level was maximum at 48 h, whi ch decreased slightly thereafter, while there was no marked increase in ren al MT level at any time interval. The cadmium was equally distributed in li ver and kidney more in their supernatant cytosol fraction (SCF) than in the ir NMF at 24 h after a dose of cadmium chloride. The cadmium levels showed a decreasing trend in hepatic fractions and an increasing trend in renal fr actions with time. The cadmium-induced hepatic and renal MT were substantia l at 24 h post cadmium administration, the former decreased thereafter whil e the latter enhanced at 48 h before declining. The accumulation of mercury in kidney was 1.5 times that in liver, which was localised more in their S CF than in their NMF at 24 h in response to a dose of mercuric chloride. Th e mercury levels of hepatic and renal subcellular fractions started declini ng after 24 h and at 72 h they were significantly lower. The induction of h epatic and renal MT was maximum at 24 h after mercuric chloride administrat ion, which declined thereafter concomitant with the decrease in their mercu ry levels. However, the MT levels in both the organs remained considerably higher than in normal animals at 72 h post exposure. The results show that the accumulation of metal in liver and kidney follows the order: Hg > Cd > Zn and the induction of MT follows Hg > Cd > Zn in liver and Cd > Hg > Zn i n kidney. The alterations in zinc and copper homeostasis were more marked i n liver than in kidney and follows the order: Hg > Cd > Zn. (C) 2001 Elsevi er Science Ltd. All rights reserved.