Cadmium, zinc, and copper in rabbit kidney metallothionein - relation to kidney toxicity

Journal Article · Wed Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1987 · Environ. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-6784-9_73· OSTI ID:5897430

Elinder, C G; Nordberg, M; Palm, B; Bjoerk, L; Joensson, L

Twenty-two rabbits were given repeated subcutaneous injections of cadmium chloride. The cumulative cadmium dose given ranged from 13 to 214 ..mu..mole/kg body weight. Five rabbits served as controls. The treatment resulted in cadmium concentrations in kidney cortex that ranged from 0.3 to 3.2 mmole Cd/kg and a subsequent production of metallothionein. The molar ratio of cadmium, zinc, and copper in metallothionein fractions from kidneys with different concentrations of cadmium was determined. At low concentrations of cadmium in rabbit kidneys, zinc was the dominating metal bound to metallothionein (70-90%). At high concentrations of cadmium in kidneys, cadmium was the dominating metal in metallothionein. Evidence of kidney toxicity, in the form of ..beta../sub 2/-microglobulinuria, was seen when cadmium constituted 85% of the metal ions recovered from metallothionein fractions. The remaining 15% was zinc. This indicates that at most six of the seven metal-binding sites in mammalian metallothionein are occupied by cadmium and that the remaining site is occupied by zinc. Their data provide further support for the hypothesis that chronic cadmium nephrotoxicity develops when there is a lack of metal-binding sites available for cadmium in metallothionein.

• Research Organization: National Board of Occupational Safety and Health, Solna, Sweden
• OSTI ID: 5897430
• Journal Information: Environ. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: Environ. Res.; (United States) Vol. 42:2; ISSN ENVRA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
BIOCHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
BODY
CADMIUM
CADMIUM CHLORIDES
CADMIUM COMPOUNDS
CADMIUM HALIDES
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
COPPER
ELEMENTS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
INJURIES
KIDNEYS
KINETICS
MAMMALS
METALLOPROTEINS
METALLOTHIONEIN
METALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PROTEINS
RABBITS
REACTION KINETICS
TOXICITY
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
VERTEBRATES
ZINC