The aim of the present study was to evaluate renal and liver distribution of two monoclonal immunoglobulin light chains. The chains were purified individually from the urine of patients with multiple myeloma and characterized as lambda light chains with a molecular mass of 28 kDa. They were named BJg (high amount of galactose residues exposed) and BJs (sialic acid residues exposed) on the basis of carbohydrate content. A scintigraphic study was performed on male Wistar rats weighing 250 g for 60 min after iv administration of 1 mg of each protein (7.4 MBq), as the intact proteins and also after carbohydrate oxidation. Images were obtained with a Siemens gamma camera with a high-resolution collimator and processed with a MicroDelta system. Hepatic and renal distribution were established and are reported as percent of injected dose. Liver uptake of BJg was significantly higher than liver uptake of BJs (94.3 vs 81.4%) (P<0.05). This contributed to its greater removal from the intravascular compartment, and consequently lower kidney accumulation of BJg in comparison to BJs (5.7 vs 18.6%) (P<0.05). After carbohydrate oxidation, there was a decrease in hepatic accumulation of both proteins and consequently a higher renal overload. The tissue distribution of periodate-treated BJg was similar to that of native BJs: 82.7 vs 81.4% in the liver and 17.3 vs 18.6% in the kidneys. These observations indicate the important role of sugar residues of Bence Jones proteins for their recognition by specific membrane receptors, which leads to differential tissue accumulation and possible toxicity.

Arsenic (As) is a common element in aquatic environments and it is originated from both anthropogenic and natural processes. It is a toxic metalloid, especially in the trivalent form (arsenite), to humans and wildlife, and consequently its contamination of aquatic environments (especially groundwater and drinking water) is a serious public health problem in several regions around the globe, particularly in Asia, since it is known to cause cancer and other types of pathologies. The main goal of the present study was to assess the toxicological effects, bioaccumulation and ability to regulate As in Corbicula fluminea (Muller 1744), exposed to different concentrations of As in the water. One hundred freshwater bivalves (1.6 ± 0.3 g) from the Minho River (Portugal) were randomly distributed in ten 20-L tanks and exposed to different nominal concentrations of As (100, 300, 500, and 1000 µg L-1) for 28 days. A tank with tap water free of chlorine was used as control. The assay was performed in duplicate, at a constant temperature of 20 ± 1ºC. The results showed a significant increase (P < 0.01) of As in the total concentration and cytosolic fraction after 28 days of exposure in all treatments. A significant increase (P < 0.01) in metallothionein concentration was also detected in bivalves exposed to the different concentrations of As, in comparison with the controls. The histological and histochemical evaluation provided clear evidence that As accumulated in tissues, especially in the digestive gland, and caused tissue alterations in 50% of the organisms.