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IN VITRO METHYL MERCURY INHIBITION OF PROTEIN SYNTHESIS IN NEONATAL CEREBELLAR PERIKARYA
Author(s) -
SARAFIAN T. A.,
CHEUNG M. K.,
VERITY M. A.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
neuropathology and applied neurobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.538
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1365-2990
pISSN - 0305-1846
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2990.1984.tb00342.x
Subject(s) - protein biosynthesis , in vitro , intracellular , phenylalanine , in vivo , biochemistry , chemistry , lactate dehydrogenase , mercury (programming language) , biology , enzyme , amino acid , microbiology and biotechnology , computer science , programming language
In an effort to characterize the principal mechanism(s) underlying the methyl mercury‐induced defect in protein synthesis in vivo and in vitro , we examined the dose and time related effects of methyl mercury chloride (MeHg) on a variety of cellular functions using bulk‐isolated neonatal cerebellar perikarya. This cell preparation demonstrated a high specific activity for protein synthesis which was optimal between 6 and 12 days of age and declined rapidly thereafter. In vitro MeHg inhibited synthesis with an ID 50 of ‐ 14 μm without causing significant release of lactate dehydrogenase. The inhibition of protein synthesis occurred independently of mercurial effects on RNA synthesis, mitochondrial function, ATP content or intracellular levels of Na + and K + . Uptake of [ 3 H]‐phenylalanine was not appreciably affected by MeHg. The accumulated evidence suggests that in this in vitro cell model, MeHg inhibition of protein synthesis occurs via a direct interaction with the protein synthetic machinery.