Abstract
Near-term pregnant (gestational day 17) and nonpregnant Long-Evans female rats were continuously infused into the external jugular vein with 0.1 mmole/hour L-cysteine, 0.1 mmole/hour L-leucine, or saline. At 24, 48, and 72 hours, 50 μmole/hour [203Hg]-MeHgCl was administered over 1 hour. Total 203Hg body burden, brain, kidney, liver, and blood 203Hg concentrations were determined at 96 hours by gamma scintillation spectrometry. Despite significantly greater 203Hg whole body retention in the pregnant animals 203Hg concentrations in blood, brain, kidney, and liver were higher in nonpregnant rats. In addition, brain 203Hg concentrations in both pregnant and virgin rats were significantly higher in L-cysteine-treated rats compared with controls. These results suggest that the fetus may act as a 'sink' for MeHg, thus decreasing 203Hg concentrations in maternal blood, brain, kidney, and liver. Furthermore, the data indicate that brain uptake of methylmercury in both pregnant and nonpregnant rats is enhanced by chronic L-cysteine infusion, lending support to the hypothesis that methylmercury in the rat may be translocated across the blood-brain barrier by the neutral amino acid carrier transport system.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 321-328 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Teratology |
| Volume | 36 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| State | Published - 1987 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Developmental Biology
- Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis
- Embryology
- Toxicology
Cite this
Mercury 203 distribution in pregnant and nonpregnant rats following systemic infusions with thiol-containing amino acids. / Aschner, Michael; Clarkson Th., W.
In: Teratology, Vol. 36, No. 3, 1987, p. 321-328.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Mercury 203 distribution in pregnant and nonpregnant rats following systemic infusions with thiol-containing amino acids
AU - Aschner, Michael
AU - Clarkson Th., W.
PY - 1987
Y1 - 1987
N2 - Near-term pregnant (gestational day 17) and nonpregnant Long-Evans female rats were continuously infused into the external jugular vein with 0.1 mmole/hour L-cysteine, 0.1 mmole/hour L-leucine, or saline. At 24, 48, and 72 hours, 50 μmole/hour [203Hg]-MeHgCl was administered over 1 hour. Total 203Hg body burden, brain, kidney, liver, and blood 203Hg concentrations were determined at 96 hours by gamma scintillation spectrometry. Despite significantly greater 203Hg whole body retention in the pregnant animals 203Hg concentrations in blood, brain, kidney, and liver were higher in nonpregnant rats. In addition, brain 203Hg concentrations in both pregnant and virgin rats were significantly higher in L-cysteine-treated rats compared with controls. These results suggest that the fetus may act as a 'sink' for MeHg, thus decreasing 203Hg concentrations in maternal blood, brain, kidney, and liver. Furthermore, the data indicate that brain uptake of methylmercury in both pregnant and nonpregnant rats is enhanced by chronic L-cysteine infusion, lending support to the hypothesis that methylmercury in the rat may be translocated across the blood-brain barrier by the neutral amino acid carrier transport system.
AB - Near-term pregnant (gestational day 17) and nonpregnant Long-Evans female rats were continuously infused into the external jugular vein with 0.1 mmole/hour L-cysteine, 0.1 mmole/hour L-leucine, or saline. At 24, 48, and 72 hours, 50 μmole/hour [203Hg]-MeHgCl was administered over 1 hour. Total 203Hg body burden, brain, kidney, liver, and blood 203Hg concentrations were determined at 96 hours by gamma scintillation spectrometry. Despite significantly greater 203Hg whole body retention in the pregnant animals 203Hg concentrations in blood, brain, kidney, and liver were higher in nonpregnant rats. In addition, brain 203Hg concentrations in both pregnant and virgin rats were significantly higher in L-cysteine-treated rats compared with controls. These results suggest that the fetus may act as a 'sink' for MeHg, thus decreasing 203Hg concentrations in maternal blood, brain, kidney, and liver. Furthermore, the data indicate that brain uptake of methylmercury in both pregnant and nonpregnant rats is enhanced by chronic L-cysteine infusion, lending support to the hypothesis that methylmercury in the rat may be translocated across the blood-brain barrier by the neutral amino acid carrier transport system.
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M3 - Article
C2 - 3424221
AN - SCOPUS:0023581917
VL - 36
SP - 321
EP - 328
JO - Teratology
JF - Teratology
SN - 1542-0752
IS - 3
ER -