title: Stimulation of phospholipid hydrolysis and cell death by mercuric chloride: evidence for mercuric ion acting as a calcium-mimetic agent.
abstract: Mercuric chloride stimulates phospholipid hydrolysis and prostaglandin release in 3T3 mouse fibroblasts. This response is distinctly different from that stimulated by other sulfhydryl-reactive agents, but it exhibits a variety of characteristics similar to the phospholipid hydrolysis response stimulated by Ca2+ plus ionophore A23187. Also, the additivity of phospholipid hydrolytic responses stimulated by Hg2+, Ca2+ and A23187 is consistent with Hg2+ interacting with a Ca2+-dependent enzyme(s). These results are consistent with Hg2+ acting by a novel, Ca2+-mimetic mechanism; i.e., with it entering cells and activating cell processes that are activated by Ca2+ in calcium-dependent cell death.
mesh_terms: D000217:Acyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000001:Calcimycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006868:Hydrolysis; D007700:Kinetics; D008627:Mercuric Chloride; D008628:Mercury / Q000633:toxicity*; D051379:Mice; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000378:metabolism*; D013439:Sulfhydryl Reagents / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D010743:Phospholipids; D013439:Sulfhydryl Reagents; D000001:Calcimycin; D008627:Mercuric Chloride; D000217:Acyltransferases; D008628:Mercury; D002118:Calcium