Interaction between Inorganic Mercury and Selenium on Tissue Sulfhydryl Groups and Glutathione-linked Enzymes in Rats.
10.3349/ymj.1981.22.2.122
- Author:
Sang Hwan OH
1
;
Myung Ho LEE
Author Information
1. Department of Biochemistry, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Interaction between Hg and Se
- MeSH:
Animal;
Glutathione/metabolism*;
Glutathione Peroxidase/analysis;
Glutathione Reductase/analysis;
Male;
Mercury/toxicity*;
Rats;
Selenium/pharmacology*;
Sulfhydryl Compounds/analysis*
- From:Yonsei Medical Journal
1981;22(2):122-126
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
The effect of selenium on the tissue sulfhydryl group content and lipid peroxide-destorying enzyme system in the liver, kidney and testis of rat treated with mercury was investigated. The male rats were injected s.c. with HgCl2 (10 micromoles/kg BW) and orally received Na2SeO3 (13 micromoles/kg BW) simultaneously. After 3 days, liver, kidney and testis were removed and analyzed. Mercury decreased the total sulfhydryl group content in the kidney by 25% and the total glutathione content in the kidney and testis by 50% and 36%, respectively, with no changes in other tissues. There was 12% increase in the total sulfhydryl group but not in the total glutathione content in kidney by a simul-taneous treatment of Se and Hg. Glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities were decreased by 63% in the liver and 69% in the kidney, and glutathione reductase (GSH-Rd) activity was increased in the tests by 16% by the Hg treatment with no changes in Other tissues. Hg had no effect upon glutathione-S-transferase activities in all organs examined. Simultaneous Se treatment increased GSH-Rd activity in the kidney by 23% and GSH-Px activities in liver and kidney by 24% and 21%, respectively, compared to the Hg-treated group. These data indicate that the alleviation of Hg toxicity by Se treatment is well correlated with the protein sulfhydryl group content and GSH-Px activity.
