Abstract
The aim of this investigation was to test whether the main fraction of the mercury-binding compounds in rat kidney, having a molecular weight of 11,000, is identical with metallothionein. Rats were given at 4-day intervals two doses of CdCl 2 and one dose of 203HgCl 2. The kidneys were removed 4 days later and analyzed. The cytoplasm of rat kidney was subsequently chromatographed on Sephadex G-200, G-75, and G-25 gels and yielded a 137-fold concentration of the compound in question as compared with the homogenate. The compound in question has been identified as metallothionein on the basis of following data: (1) Molecular weight was 11,200 as determined by gel filtration on Sephadex G-75. (2) Chromatography on Sephadex G-25 in neutral medium gave parallel occurrence of 203Hg and Cd content with the protein content and the peak of absorbance at 250 nm (metallothionein), whereas at pH 2 the Cd could be removed from the complex with simultaneous disappearance of absorbance at 250 nm (thionein). (3) The ultraviolet spectra of the concentrates showed a characteristic difference spectrum at pH 7 and 2, respectively. Metallothionein is thus identified as the compound responsible for the selective binding and retention of mercury in the kidney of rats.
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