Effects of Methyl Mercury and Triethyllead on Na+K+ATPase and Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Activities in Glioma C6 Cells

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Abstract
The effect of methyl mercury (MeHg) and triethyllead (Et3Pb) on the membrane bound SH-enzymes Na+K+ATPase and pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) was studied in relation to the effect on the galactosyl ceramide sulfotransferase (CST) and to morphological changes in glioma C6 cells. Two-day-old cultures were incubated for 1 or 20 hrs with 5–30 μg MeHgCl and 2–8 μg Et3PbCl/mg cell protein. The results show that both compounds induced morphological changes and a reduction of CST activity at growth inhibitory concentrations. A less marked reduction of Na+K+ATPase was induced with increasing exposure time only in MeHgCl treated cultures, and PDH activity was not affected by either of the compounds under the experimental conditions. Thus, an interference with Na+K+ATPase and PDH activities do not appear to be a primary effect of MeHg and Et3Pb intoxication.