Variations in Metallothionein, Zn, Cu, and Fe Concentrations and Ceruloplasmin Activity in Pregnant Rat Dams and Their Fetuses

Chmielnicka, Jadwiga; Sowa, Bogusław

doi:10.1006/eesa.1999.1898

Cited by 7 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…These elements are readily transported across the placenta because of a significant downhill concentration gradient between dam and fetus [39,40]. Decreases in concentrations of Cu and Zn in the serum of dams have been shown to correlate with simultaneous increases of these metals in fetal livers [41], whereas these changes in serum levels are not observed in nonpregnant animals.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Northern pocket gophers (Thomomys talpoides) as biomonitors of environmental metal contamination

Reynolds¹,

Schwarz²,

McFarland³

et al. 2006

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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Abstract-We live-trapped 40 northern pocket gophers across two years from the Anaconda Smelter Superfund Site, Anaconda, Montana, USA, to determine their exposure to five metal contaminants and effects of exposure on selected measurements. Soil, gopher blood, liver, kidney, and carcass samples were analyzed for arsenic, cadmium, lead, copper, and zinc. Hematological parameters, kidney and liver porphyrins, and red blood cell ␦-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD) activity were also measured. Micronutrients Cu and Zn were detected in all tissues analyzed, and Cd, Pb, and As were detected less frequently. We report differences in metal distribution among different tissues and differences in bioaccumulation for different metals within the same tissue. No significant differences were observed in concentrations of Zn or Cu in any tissue across the study site, but relationships between lead in soil and lead in carcass proved especially strong (r 2 ϭ 0.80; p Ͻ 0.001; n ϭ 18). Among biomarker data, we observed a negative relationship between concentration of lead in the soil and ALAD activity in gophers with detectable concentrations of lead in their blood (r 2 ϭ 0.45; p ϭ 0.006; n ϭ 15). Results of this study suggest that northern pocket gophers are useful biomonitors of environmental Pb, Cd, and As contamination, and their broad geographic range across North America could allow them to be an important component of site-specific metals assessments.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Northern pocket gophers (Thomomys talpoides) as biomonitors of environmental metal contamination

Reynolds¹,

Schwarz²,

McFarland³

et al. 2006

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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“…Perinatal rats showed additional increase of basal MT on PND 14, and then levels later began to decrease. It is known that neonates have relatively high basal levels of MT in many tissues, including the kidney (Waalkes & Klaassen, 1984), and these levels appear to correlate with the tissue zinc concentration during the perinatal period (Chmielnicka & Sowa, 2000). The levels of renal MT in the perinatal period peak some time after birth and gradually decay to adult levels over the next month or so (Waalkes & Klaassen, 1984).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of Mercury Vapor Exposure on Metallothionein and Glutathione S -Transferase Gene Expression in the Kidney of Nonpregnant, Pregnant, and Neonatal Rats

Brambila

Liu

Morgan

et al. 2002

Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part A

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Elemental mercury (Hg(0)) is a ubiquitous toxic pollutant. Exposure to Hg(0) vapor typically is by inhalation, and the kidney is the primary target organ. Glutathione (GSH) and metallothionein (MT) appear to mitigate mercury toxicity. However, little is known about GSH or MT regulation after Hg(0) vapor exposure, particularly during pregnancy, a time of high sensitivity to most metals. Thus, this study sought to determine renal mercury accumulation and MT- and GSH-related gene expression following Hg(0) vapor exposure in nonpregnant, pregnant, and neonatal rats exposed in utero. Groups (n = 5) of pregnant rats (Long-Evans) were exposed to Hg(0) vapor (4 mg/m(3)) or air (control) for 2 h/d from gestational day (GD) 6 to 15, and kidneys from dams and pups were removed at various times during and after the onset of exposure. For comparative purposes, nonpregnant female rats were exposed to Hg(0) for 10 d under the same conditions. Renal mercury, MT protein, and GST activity were assayed by standard analytical techniques. Western blot analysis was also performed using antibodies against MT and GST-pi. GSH-related gene expression was studied by cDNA microarray. Hg(0) vapor exposure produced renal accumulation of mercury in nonpregnant, pregnant, and neonatal rats. However, the transplacentally exposed neonates accumulated approximately 1000-fold less mercury than adults. Hg(0) vapor exposure produced a time-dependent increase in renal MT protein in nonpregnant and pregnant rats, but not in neonatal rats. Maximum MT increases were observed on d 10 (fivefold) in nonpregnant and GD 15 (threefold) in pregnant rats. Activation of the MT gene by Hg(0) was confirmed at the translational level by Western blot analysis and at the transcriptional level by Northern blot analysis. Microarray analysis revealed a significant upregulation in the renal expression of the GST-pi, GST-Ya, and microsomal GST and GST5-5 genes in nonpregnant and pregnant rats. Western blot and enzyme assay confirmed the upregulation of GST genes after Hg(0) exposure. Thus, in response to Hg(0) vapor exposure, the expression of the MT gene and various GST genes is activated in nonpregnant and pregnant rats. Activation of these genes could be part of a defensive response directed at decreasing renal mercury toxicity, and may help divert the metal away from the fetus.

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“…Copper values for the only subject that had already had one cycle of hormonal fertility and the only control that was taking the combined oral contraceptive pill drugs were all within the normal range and a larger longitudinal study would be needed to assess the effects of fertility drugs on copper status. Although a rise in blood copper is a normal healthy component of human and animal pregnancy [81][82][83][84][85], high blood copper with low zinc may be associated with a low birth weight [86] and various workers have demonstrated that high blood copper levels in animal models are detrimental to pregnancy outcome and can cause subfertility [87,88], oxidative damage to DNA [89,90] and fetal malformations, especially when combined with low blood zinc [91,92]. The high tissue (low blood) levels of copper in Wilson's disease are associated with subfertility in humans [93] and elemental copper wire is known to be an effective intrauterine contraceptive agent, which has been shown to work by producing inflammatory infiltration in the fallopian epithelium [94].…”

Section: Coppermentioning

confidence: 99%

A survey to estimate total nutrient intake at conception — Dietary and supplementary

Nichols

Curtis

Rayman

et al. 2008

Journal of Nutritional & Environmental Medicine

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Purpose. To compare the nutritional status of infertile women with non-pregnant fertile age-matched controls and to assess the periconceptional intake of nutritional supplements in pregnancy with an estimation of total micronutrient (diet and supplementary) intake.Design. An assessment of the nutritional status of infertile women and fertile, age-matched nonpregnant controls and a survey of the periconceptional intake of folic acid and other nutritional supplements. Materials and methods. Group 1: a 7-day weighed diet diary and blood tests for magnesium, mineral and pyridoxine status were used to assess the nutritional status of six infertile women and 12 nonpregnant, healthy, age-matched controls. Group 2: the periconceptional dietary intake of folic acid and other nutritional supplements was estimated in 87 pregnant women attending midwife clinics, 36 women attending an assisted conception clinic and 7 women attending a self help group for lesbian pregnancy.Results. In the group of six infertile subjects and 12 fertile controls, there was a non-significant trend for micronutrient intake in the controls to be higher than for the infertile subjects. Comparisons with the UK reference nutrient intake confirmed suboptimal nutrition in all subjects and some controls. Twenty-five per cent of controls and 33% of infertile subjects had subnormal serum selenium consistent with reduced antioxidant defence. There was also a non-significant trend for noncaeruloplasmin copper and cadmium to be higher in the infertile subjects. The combined mean dietary intake for all subjects and controls was similar to the values from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey. Therefore, an approximate value for the total intake of nutrients (diet and supplementation) of the 130 women in the larger survey was calculated using the mean dietary intake of the smaller group as an estimate of the dietary component. This analysis suggested suboptimal total intake for .50% of the subjects for selenium, zinc, magnesium and iodine and borderline total intake for .50% of subjects for vitamins B12, C and E, betacarotene, iron, folate + folic acid and essential fatty acids. Conclusions. Current levels of supplementation with folic acid and other nutrients are failing to compensate for poor mean dietary intake of these nutrients at the time of conception. These nutritional deficiencies are probably important contributory factors in infertility, spontaneous abortion, pregnancy complications and post-partum health problems in the mother and infant (including congenital malformations and postnatal depression).

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Variations in Metallothionein, Zn, Cu, and Fe Concentrations and Ceruloplasmin Activity in Pregnant Rat Dams and Their Fetuses

Cited by 7 publications

References 25 publications

Northern pocket gophers (Thomomys talpoides) as biomonitors of environmental metal contamination

Northern pocket gophers (Thomomys talpoides) as biomonitors of environmental metal contamination

Effect of Mercury Vapor Exposure on Metallothionein and Glutathione S -Transferase Gene Expression in the Kidney of Nonpregnant, Pregnant, and Neonatal Rats

A survey to estimate total nutrient intake at conception — Dietary and supplementary

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