Biomaterial Database

Induction of metallothionein in dogwhelk Nucella lapillus during and after exposure to cadmium. 1999

K M Leung, and R W Furness

Institute of Biomedical and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Graham Kerr Building, Glasgow G12 8QQ, United Kingdom. k.m.leung@udef.gla.ac.uk

Induction of metallothionein (MT) was investigated in a common biomonitor, the dogwhelk Nucella lapillus (shell length: 27.7+/-1.4 mm; wet tissue weight: 667+/-196 mg), during and after exposure to cadmium (Cd) under controlled laboratory conditions (10+/-1 degrees C and 34+/-1 per thousand salinity). The dogwhelks were exposed to 500 microg Cd l-1 (2.2% of 96 h LC50) for 60 days and then placed into clean seawater for 110 days. MT concentration in whole animal increased during the exposure period, peaked at Day 70, and then declined gradually. Half-life of MT was ca. 40 days. MT concentration increased very significantly with increasing Cd concentration (r=0.74, n=24, P<0.001). Nevertheless, Cd concentration increased throughout the period of exposure and while in clean seawater, leveling off only after Day 120, indicating that Cd concentration could not be regulated by N. lapillus. Throughout the study, MT and Cd concentrations in gills, Leiblein gland, kidney, digestive gland, and gonad tissues increased gradually. Highest concentrations of MT and Cd were found in the Leiblein gland. Measurement of MT induction in the Leiblein gland of N. lapillus may therefore prove useful as a sublethal biological response to Cd contamination.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007501	Iron	A metallic element with atomic symbol Fe, atomic number 26, and atomic weight 55.85. It is an essential constituent of HEMOGLOBINS; CYTOCHROMES; and IRON-BINDING PROTEINS. It plays a role in cellular redox reactions and in the transport of OXYGEN.	Iron-56,Iron 56
D007928	Lethal Dose 50	The dose amount of poisonous or toxic substance or dose of ionizing radiation required to kill 50% of the tested population.	LD50,Dose 50, Lethal
D008668	Metallothionein	A low-molecular-weight (approx. 10 kD) protein occurring in the cytoplasm of kidney cortex and liver. It is rich in cysteinyl residues and contains no aromatic amino acids. Metallothionein shows high affinity for bivalent heavy metals.	Isometallothionein,Metallothionein A,Metallothionein B,Metallothionein I,Metallothionein II,Metallothionein IIA
D002104	Cadmium	An element with atomic symbol Cd, atomic number 48, and atomic weight 112.41. It is a metal and ingestion will lead to CADMIUM POISONING.
D003300	Copper	A heavy metal trace element with the atomic symbol Cu, atomic number 29, and atomic weight 63.55.	Copper-63,Copper 63
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012908	Snails	Marine, freshwater, or terrestrial mollusks of the class Gastropoda. Most have an enclosing spiral shell, and several genera harbor parasites pathogenic to man.	Snail
D014018	Tissue Distribution	Accumulation of a drug or chemical substance in various organs (including those not relevant to its pharmacologic or therapeutic action). This distribution depends on the blood flow or perfusion rate of the organ, the ability of the drug to penetrate organ membranes, tissue specificity, protein binding. The distribution is usually expressed as tissue to plasma ratios.	Distribution, Tissue,Distributions, Tissue,Tissue Distributions
D015032	Zinc	A metallic element of atomic number 30 and atomic weight 65.38. It is a necessary trace element in the diet, forming an essential part of many enzymes, and playing an important role in protein synthesis and in cell division. Zinc deficiency is associated with ANEMIA, short stature, HYPOGONADISM, impaired WOUND HEALING, and geophagia. It is known by the symbol Zn.