Action of DTPA on Hepatic Plutonium: II. DTPA-Induced Removal of Monomeric Plutonium from Mouse Liver Parenchymal Cells

Abstract

Liver parenchymal cells were isolated 6 and 24 hr following the administration of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA, 0.25 mmole/kg) to mice previously injected with /sup 239/Pu-citrate (4.4 ..mu..Ci/kg). Isolated parenchymal cells contained 440 dpm Pu/10/sup 6/ cells at 24 hr after Pu injection, just prior to DTPA administration. The PU content decreased to 330 dpm/10/sup 6/ cells at 6 hr and 140 dpm/10/sup 6/ cells at 24 hr after DTPA administration. Thus DTPA induced a striking decrease in the Pu content of isolated liver parenchymal cells. Parenchymal cells isolated from control mice not treated with DTPA changed little in Pu content from 24 to 48 hr after Pu injection. By 24 hr after DTPA treatment, the decrease in the Pu content of isolated liver parenchymal cells could account for the DTPA-induced release of Pu from the intact liver. Thus in the liver DTPA appears to act preferentially on the Pu associated with parenchymal cells. Liver parenchymal cells isolated 6 hr after DTPA administration and containing 330 dpm Pu/10/sup 6/ cells were incubated in vitro in the absence of added DTPA. After 18 hr of incubation the cells contained 130 dpm Pu/10/sup 6/ cells. This level corresponds to the level observed inmore » cells isolated 24 hr after DTPA administration. Cells isolated from untreated mice lost only 15% of their Pu content during a similar in vitro incubation. Thus, by 6 hr after DTPA administration to the mouse, isolated liver parenchymal cells appeared to retain their ability to release Pu in vitro with no need for additional exposure to DTPA. The physiological significance of this finding is discussed.« less