Click here to close Hello! We notice that you are using Internet Explorer, which is not supported by Echinobase and may cause the site to display incorrectly. We suggest using a current version of Chrome, FireFox, or Safari.
Echinobase
ECB-ART-41396
Environ Sci Technol 2009 Nov 01;4321:8374-80. doi: 10.1021/es901677r.
Show Gene links Show Anatomy links

Multidrug efflux transporters limit accumulation of inorganic, but not organic, mercury in sea urchin embryos.

Bosnjak I , Uhlinger KR , Heim W , Smital T , Franekić-Colić J , Coale K , Epel D , Hamdoun A .


Abstract
Mercuric compounds are persistent global pollutants that accumulate in marine organisms and in humans who consume them. While the chemical cycles and speciation of mercury in the oceans are relatively well described, the cellular mechanisms that govern which forms of mercury accumulate in cells and why they persist are less understood. In this study we examined the role of multidrug efflux transport in the differential accumulation of inorganic (HgCl(2)) and organic (CH(3)HgCl) mercury in sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) embryos. We found that inhibition of MRP/ABCC-type transporters increases intracellular accumulation of inorganic mercury but had no effect on accumulation of organic mercury. Similarly, pharmacological inhibition of metal conjugating enzymes by ligands GST/GSH significantly increases this antimitotic potency of inorganic mercury, but had no effect on the potency of organic mercury. Our results point to MRP-mediated elimination of inorganic mercury conjugates as a cellular basis for differences in the accumulation and potency of the two major forms of mercury found in marine environments.

PubMed ID: 19924972
PMC ID: PMC3166226
Article link: Environ Sci Technol
Grant support: [+]

Genes referenced: LOC100887844 LOC575116 LOC579267 LOC594349
Antibodies: tubb1 Ab8

References [+] :
Abbott, Transporting therapeutics across the blood-brain barrier. 1996, Pubmed