Uptake, cellular distribution and DNA damage produced by mercuric chloride in a human fetal hepatic cell line.
A human hepatic cell line (WRL-68 cells) was employed to investigate the uptake of the toxic heavy metal mercury. Hg accumulation in WRL-68 cells is a time and concentration dependent process. A rapid initial phase of uptake was followed by a second slower phase. The transport does not require energy and at low HgCl2 concentrations (<50 microM) Hg transport occurs by temperature-insensitive processes. Subcellular distribution of Hg was: 48% in mitochondria, 38% in nucleus and only 8% in cytosolic fraction and 7% in microsomes. Little is known at the molecular level concerning the genotoxic effects following the acute exposure of eucaryotic cells to low concentrations of Hg. Our results showed that Hg induced DNA single-strand breaks or alkali labile sites using the single-cell gel electrophoresis assay (Comet assay). The percentage of damaged nucleus and the average length of DNA migration increased as metal concentration and time exposure increased. Lipid peroxidation, determined as malondialdehyde production in the presence of thiobarbituric acid, followed the same tendency, increased as HgCl2 concentration and time of exposure increased. DNA damage recovery took 8 h after partial metal removed with PBS-EGTA.
Laboratorio de Fisiología Celular, Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, División de Ciencias Biológicas y de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, Apdo. Postal 55-535, Mexico, D.F. 09340, Mexico.
L
L
Bucio
C
C
García
V
V
Souza
E
E
Hernández
C
C
González
M
M
Betancourt
M C
MC
Gutiérrez-Ruiz
D002460:Cell Line; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000187:drug effects*; D004260:DNA Repair / Q000187:drug effects; D005333:Fetus; D006801:Humans; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008627:Mercuric Chloride / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity*; D013347:Subcellular Fractions / Q000378:metabolism
D008627:Mercuric Chloride; D004247:DNA