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Title: Choroid plexus protects cerebrospinal fluid against toxic metals

Abstract

Although heavy metal ions are known to be toxic to the central nervous system (CNS), the mechanisms by which the CNS may protect itself from initial challenges of such toxic ions is unknown. The choroid plexus is the principal site of formation of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) which bathes the brain. We have determined in rats and rabbits that after intraperitoneal administration of lead, cadmium, mercury, and arsenic compounds, these toxic metal ions accumulated in the lateral choroid plexus at concentrations of Pb, Hg, and As that were 70-, 95-, and 40-fold higher, respectively, than those found in CSF. Cd was not detected in the CSF. In addition, concentrations of these heavy metal ions were found to be many fold greater in the choroid plexus than in the brain or blood. The accumulation of Pb in the choroid plexus was dose-dependent and time-related. When the choroid plexus was preincubated, in vitro, with ouabain (1.5 mM), the uptake of Cd from the CSF side of the choroid plexus was inhibited 57%. Cadmium metallothionein was not found in the choroid plexus. Whereas the concentration of reduced glutathione in the choroid plexus was less than that in the brain cortex, the concentration ofmore » cysteine was fourfold greater. The lateral choroid plexus sequesters Pb, Cd, As, and Hg. It appears to be one of the important mechanisms that protects the CSF and the brain from the fluxes of toxic heavy metals in the blood.« less

Authors:
; ; ;  [1]
  1. Univ. of Arizona, Tucson (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
5752081
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
FASEB Journal (Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology); (United States)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 5:8; Journal ID: ISSN 0892-6638
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.; METALS; TOXICITY; ARSENIC; BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION; BLOOD; BLOOD-BRAIN BARRIER; BRAIN; CADMIUM; CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM; CEREBROSPINAL FLUID; CYSTEINE; DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS; GLUTATHIONE; INTRAPERITONEAL INJECTION; LEAD; MERCURY; METALLOTHIONEIN; RABBITS; RATS; THIOLS; TIME DEPENDENCE; AMINO ACIDS; ANIMALS; BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS; BODY; BODY FLUIDS; CARBOXYLIC ACIDS; DRUGS; ELEMENTS; INJECTION; INTAKE; MAMMALS; MATERIALS; METALLOPROTEINS; NERVOUS SYSTEM; ORGANIC ACIDS; ORGANIC COMPOUNDS; ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS; ORGANS; PEPTIDES; POLYPEPTIDES; PROTEINS; RADIOPROTECTIVE SUBSTANCES; RODENTS; SEMIMETALS; VERTEBRATES; 560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology

Citation Formats

Wei, Zheng, Perry, D F, Nelson, D L, and Aposhian, H V. Choroid plexus protects cerebrospinal fluid against toxic metals. United States: N. p., 1991. Web.
Wei, Zheng, Perry, D F, Nelson, D L, & Aposhian, H V. Choroid plexus protects cerebrospinal fluid against toxic metals. United States.
Wei, Zheng, Perry, D F, Nelson, D L, and Aposhian, H V. 1991. "Choroid plexus protects cerebrospinal fluid against toxic metals". United States.
@article{osti_5752081,
title = {Choroid plexus protects cerebrospinal fluid against toxic metals},
author = {Wei, Zheng and Perry, D F and Nelson, D L and Aposhian, H V},
abstractNote = {Although heavy metal ions are known to be toxic to the central nervous system (CNS), the mechanisms by which the CNS may protect itself from initial challenges of such toxic ions is unknown. The choroid plexus is the principal site of formation of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) which bathes the brain. We have determined in rats and rabbits that after intraperitoneal administration of lead, cadmium, mercury, and arsenic compounds, these toxic metal ions accumulated in the lateral choroid plexus at concentrations of Pb, Hg, and As that were 70-, 95-, and 40-fold higher, respectively, than those found in CSF. Cd was not detected in the CSF. In addition, concentrations of these heavy metal ions were found to be many fold greater in the choroid plexus than in the brain or blood. The accumulation of Pb in the choroid plexus was dose-dependent and time-related. When the choroid plexus was preincubated, in vitro, with ouabain (1.5 mM), the uptake of Cd from the CSF side of the choroid plexus was inhibited 57%. Cadmium metallothionein was not found in the choroid plexus. Whereas the concentration of reduced glutathione in the choroid plexus was less than that in the brain cortex, the concentration of cysteine was fourfold greater. The lateral choroid plexus sequesters Pb, Cd, As, and Hg. It appears to be one of the important mechanisms that protects the CSF and the brain from the fluxes of toxic heavy metals in the blood.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5752081}, journal = {FASEB Journal (Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology); (United States)},
issn = {0892-6638},
number = ,
volume = 5:8,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991},
month = {Wed May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991}
}