Biochemical changes resulting from the intraperitoneal administration of mercuric chloride and methylmercuric chloride to mice.

I.p. administration of mercuric chloride (HgCl2) and methylmercuric chloride (MeHgCl) at 1 mg/kg body wt./day for 10 consecutive days markedly influenced the phospholipid, DNA, RNA and protein of various tissues of mice. HgCl2 led to a significant increase (42%) in the liver phospholipid content but to a similar decrease in kidney phospholipid. MeHgCl reduced the phospholipid content of the brain and kidney. Kidney DNA decreased following administration of both HgCl2 and MeHgCl. MeHgCl resulted in the depleted rates of 32P uptake in the DNA fraction of all tissues studied. Both compounds increased liver and testis RNA and reduced the protein content and the 32P uptake from the protein fraction in all tissues studied.