Time Dependent Distribution of [203Hg] Mercuric Nitrate in the Subcellular Fractions of Rat and Fish Liver

Cytotoxicity of inorganic mercury to the liver of two species,Anabas testudineus andSprague Dawley male rat was evaluated.Distribution kinetics of this metal in the differenthepatic subcellular fractions were followed for 48h after a single injection of[(230)~Hg]mercuricnitrate at a dose of 4mg/kg b.w.Interaction of this metal with protein.DNA and RNA wasalso studied.In rat,nuclear and lysosomal fractions showed a significant increase in theprotein content,while in fish,the amount of protein increased in all fractions exceptmicrosome.Comparatively more mercury was bound to protein in fish during the later phaseof treatment.Retention of mercury in nuclear DNA of rat gradually declincd from 15 min to48h of treatment,while,mitochondrial DNA binding to mercury increased from 15 min to 2hof post injection and then declined in the later phase of the experiment.Such a biphasicbinding pattern of mercury was shown by both the nuclear and mitochondrial DNA of thefish.The nuclear RNA of rat and mitochondrial and c