Influence of certain chelating agents on egress of cadmium from cultured epithelial cells containing high amounts of metallothionein: a screening of Cd-releasing and toxic effects.

Cells cultures have been used to study the effect of 6 different metal chelating compounds on the efflux of Cadmium (Cd) from the cells and on cell growth. The cells had previously been made resistant to high levels of Cd (100 mumol/1) in the medium. They contain large amounts of intracellular Cd (40-50 nmol Cd/mg cell protein), the main part of which is bound to cytoplasmic metallothionein. Among the different monothiol and dithiol compounds tested are some old, well-known and to some extent therapeutically tried substances, i.e. 2,3-dimercapto-1-propanol (BAL), D-penicillamine (PA), N-acetyl-DL-penicillamine (NAPA) and some newer metal chelators, i.e. 2,3-dimercaptopropane-1-sulphonate (BAL-Sulph), mercaptosuccinic acid (MSA) and meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA). The three latter ones all showed better effect on the egress of Cd than PA and NAPA and less toxic effect than BAL on an equimolar basis. All the agents tested increased the efflux of Cd from metallothionein-containing cell cultures which seem to be justified as a test system for primary screening of effect and toxicity of new chelators.