TY - JOUR
T1 - l-Arginine normalizes NOS activity and zinc-MT homeostasis in the kidney of mice chronically exposed to inorganic mercury
AU - Piacenza, Francesco
AU - Malavolta, Marco
AU - Cipriano, Catia
AU - Costarelli, Laura
AU - Giacconi, Robertina
AU - Muti, Elisa
AU - Tesei, Silvia
AU - Pierpaoli, Sara
AU - Basso, Andrea
AU - Bracci, Massimo
AU - Bonacucina, Viviana
AU - Santarelli, Lory
AU - Mocchegiani, Eugenio
PY - 2009/9/28
Y1 - 2009/9/28
N2 - Inorganic mercury (HgCl2) exposure provokes damage in many organs, especially kidney. Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression, total NOS activity and the profiles of zinc (Zn), copper (Cu) and Hg as well as their distribution when bound to specific intracellular proteins, including metallothioneins (MT), were studied during HgCl2 exposure and after l-arginine treatment in C57BL/6 mouse kidney. HgCl2 exposure modulates differently iNOS expression and NOS activity, increasing iNOS expression but, conversely, decreasing total NOS activity in the mouse kidney. Moreover, during Hg exposure an increased MT production occurs. The kidney damage leads to a loss of urinary proteins, increased plasma creatinine and high Zn mobilization with consequent increased urinary Zn excretion. l-arginine treatment recovers NOS activity and induces a normalization of MT induction, plasma creatinine values and urinary proteins excretion, suggesting that l-arginine may limit kidney damages by Hg exposure.
AB - Inorganic mercury (HgCl2) exposure provokes damage in many organs, especially kidney. Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression, total NOS activity and the profiles of zinc (Zn), copper (Cu) and Hg as well as their distribution when bound to specific intracellular proteins, including metallothioneins (MT), were studied during HgCl2 exposure and after l-arginine treatment in C57BL/6 mouse kidney. HgCl2 exposure modulates differently iNOS expression and NOS activity, increasing iNOS expression but, conversely, decreasing total NOS activity in the mouse kidney. Moreover, during Hg exposure an increased MT production occurs. The kidney damage leads to a loss of urinary proteins, increased plasma creatinine and high Zn mobilization with consequent increased urinary Zn excretion. l-arginine treatment recovers NOS activity and induces a normalization of MT induction, plasma creatinine values and urinary proteins excretion, suggesting that l-arginine may limit kidney damages by Hg exposure.
KW - Inorganic mercury
KW - Kidney
KW - l-Arginine
KW - Metallothioneins
KW - Nitric oxide synthase
KW - Zinc
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=67650064597&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=67650064597&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.toxlet.2009.05.021
DO - 10.1016/j.toxlet.2009.05.021
M3 - Article
C2 - 19501138
AN - SCOPUS:67650064597
VL - 189
SP - 200
EP - 205
JO - Toxicology Letters
JF - Toxicology Letters
SN - 0378-4274
IS - 3
ER -