Organ and subcellular distribution of mercury in rats as dependent on the time of exposure to sodium selenite

Abstract

Sodium selenite was administered to rats employing different sequence patterns: before, after, and simultaneously with mercuric chloride. All animal groups were given 203HgCl 2 intravenously at a dose of 0.5 mg Hg/kg, every other day for 2 weeks. Na 2SeO 3 was administered intragastrically, either as a single dose of 7.0 mg Se/kg or by repeated doses of 0.1 mg Se/kg each. Administration of sodium selenite after saturation of the organism with mercury did not change essentially the mercury level in the kidneys while bringing about a decrease of the level of this metal in the liver and a considerable accumulation of mercury in the blood. In the case of other forms of exposure, selenium decreased the level of mercury in the kidneys, the highest changes of the binding of this metal being observed for the soluble fraction. In the nuclear fraction of this organ the level of mercury did not change irrespective of the sequence of administration and of the selenium dose. In the liver, an increased retention of mercury was found, especially in the nuclear and mitochondrial fractions. The highest interaction effect was attained only in the case of simultaneous administration of equimolar amounts of both elements.