Mercury in kidney

A large proportion of the mercury in the kidney is bound to metallothionein, which has a capacity to bind mercury strongly [37-39]. The role for metallothionein in the kidney is probably protective [37]. Chronic dosing of rats with mercuric chloride over a period of 3 weeks induced an approximately 6-fold increase in the renal metallothionein levels, which provides an explanation for the almost linear increase of mercury in kidneys over several weeks of daily exposure. A protective role of metallothionein would explain findings that the... 

Barregard, L., Svalander, C., Schiitz, A., Westberg, G., Blohme, I., Molne, J., Attman, P.-O., and Haglind, P., Cadmium, mercury and lead in kidney cortex of the general Swedish population A study of biopsies from living kidney donors, Environment and Health Perspectives, 107, 867-871, 1999. 

Evidence suggests that lead exacerbates the toxic effects of mercury. In the rat, the administration of lead nitrate increased kidney and liver glutathione content and resulted in increased mercury deposition in the kidney, along with increased lethality in rats (Congiu et al. 1979). 

The impacts of contaminants on the structure of the immune system can be assessed by examining white blood cell (WBC) numbers and the mass and cellularity of immune organs, although these indicators are usually not as sensitive as measures of immune function. Avian immunotoxicity studies frequently assess total and (or) differential WBC counts [79], and immunosuppression can be indicated by reduced numbers of WBCs or elevated WBC numbers caused by recurrent infections. An elevated heterophil to lymphocyte ratio can indicate altered immune status in response to corticosteroid stress hormones or other factors [78,7 9], Exposure to lead shot or lead acetate has been shown to alter total and (or) differential WBC numbers in Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix) and mallards [81-83], In western grebes (Aechmophorus occidentalis) from California, concentrations of mercury in the kidney were positively correlated with heterophil... 

Selenium lessens the toxicity of divalent mercury in animals, the protection being less at continuous mercury exposure. Selenium has been found to affect the distribution of mercuric mercury in mice [134], rats [135], rabbits [136, 137] and pigs [ 138]. Mercury forms a mercury-selenium protein complex with selenium with little biological activity [139]. Mercury is thus retained longer in the blood, liver and spleen and as a consequence lessens accumulation in the kidney. In fish, selenium pretreatment probably retarded mercury uptake rather than promoting mercury excretion [140]. 

PROBLEM 22.3 The decay constant for mercury-197, a radioisotope used medically in kidney scans, is 1.08 X 10 2 h 1. What is the half-life of mercury-197 ... 

Kidney. Because the kidney is the main excretory organ of the body, it is a common target organ for metal toxicity. Cadmium and mercury, in particular, are potent nephro-toxicants and are discussed more fully in the following sections and in Chapter 15. 

R.K. Zalups, Autometallographic localization of inorganic mercury in the kidneys of the rats Effect of unilateral nephrectomy and compensatory renal growth. Exp. Molec. Pathol. 54 10-21, 1991. 

---