title: Effect of the sulfhydryl reagent thimerosal on cytosolic free Ca2+ and membrane potential of thymocytes.
abstract: The sulfhydryl reagent thimerosal at concentrations 5-100 microM has been found to induce a variety of changes in ion transport in rat thymocytes. In particular, [Ca2+]i increases about 10-fold from the basal level. The [Ca2+]i response to thimerosal displays a two-stage time course, with the main [Ca2+]i rise during the second stage. Evidence has been obtained for the depletion of intracellular Ca2+ pools in thimerosal-treated cells, however, Ca2+ mobilization from intracellular stores does not contribute significantly into [Ca2+]i rise. Thimerosal elicits permeability not only for Ca2+, but also for Mn2+ and Ni2+, which is Ca(2+)-dependent. We failed to get any evidence on thimerosal-induced inhibition of the plasma membrane Ca(2+)-ATPase. The induction of Ca2+ influx, rather than inhibition of Ca(2+)-ATPase, accounts for the disturbance of [Ca2+]i homeostasis in thimerosal-treated cells. Thimerosal also elicits changes in monovalent ion fluxes resulting in marked depolarization. The latter seems unrelated to the changes in [Ca2+]i and is suggested to be mediated both by increased permeability for Na+ and a decreased one for K+. Thimerosal significantly stimulates AA release from thymocytes. Evidence has been presented that AA metabolite(s), probably, LO product(s), may mediate the changes in the transport of mono- and divalent cations elicited by the sulfhydryl reagent. Prolonged treatment of thymocytes with thimerosal resulted in cell death.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Biophysics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow Region.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Gukovskaya
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Trepakova
authors.forename: V P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Zinchenko
authors.forename: Y N
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Korystov
authors.forename: V V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Bezuglov
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003600:Cytosol / Q000378:metabolism*; D006893:Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D017136:Ion Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D008345:Manganese / Q000378:metabolism; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D009532:Nickel / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D013849:Thimerosal / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D006893:Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic Acids; D013849:Thimerosal; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D008345:Manganese; C022022:5-hydroxy-6,8,11,14-eicosatetraenoic acid; D009532:Nickel; D002118:Calcium