Cadmium, zinc, and copper in horse liver and in horse liver metallothionein: comparisons with kidney cortex

Journal Article · Thu Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1981 · Environ. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0013-9351(81)90180-8· OSTI ID:5917931

Elinder, C G; Nordberg, M; Palm, B; Piscator, M

Cadmium, zinc, and copper were determined in liver and in kidney cortex samples obtained from 33 normal Swedish horses. Cadmium concentrations in liver ranged from 0.002 to 0.165 mmole/kg and in kidney from 0.01 to 2.15 mmole/kg. There was a significant correlation between liver and kidney concentrations of cadmium. The average kidney concentration of cadmium was about 15 times that of liver. Zinc concentrations increased with increasing cadmium concentrations in both liver and kidney. The relative increase of zinc with cadmium was more pronounced in liver than in kidney. However, the absolute increase of zinc was larger in kidney due to the much higher concentration of cadmium in kidney compared to liver. Any significant correlation between copper and cadmium, or copper and zinc, could not be revealed. Sephadex gel filtration was performed on supernatants from homogenates of kidney and liver from 19 of the horses. In both organs the major part of cadmium was recovered in protein fractions corresponding to metallothionein (MT), in which the increase of zinc also took place. The molar ratio between zinc and cadmium was higher in MT fractions obtained from liver than in MT fractions obtained from kidney.

• Research Organization: Karolinska Inst., Stockholm, Sweden
• OSTI ID: 5917931
• Journal Information: Environ. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: Environ. Res.; (United States) Vol. 26:1; ISSN ENVRA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560305* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Vertebrates-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
BODY
CADMIUM
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COPPER
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
ELEMENTS
GLANDS
HORSES
KIDNEYS
LIVER
MAMMALS
METALLOPROTEINS
METALLOTHIONEIN
METALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PROTEINS
QUANTITY RATIO
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
UPTAKE
VERTEBRATES
ZINC