Protein-mediated transfer of DDT to adipose tissue.

The in vitro transfer of DDT through various media to rat adipose tissue was examined. About 15% of DDT was transferred through Krebs-Ringer solution to the tissue slices after 2-hr incubation at 37 degrees C. The addition of albumin accelerated the transfer of DDT proportionally to the concentrations up to 1.0%. Hemoglobin and gamma-globulin showed a lesser accelerating activity, but protamine, trypsin and pepsin showed little or no effect. When the Krebs-Ringer solution was replaced by triglyceride suspensions, only a small amount of DDT was taken up by the adipose tissue. Ffflux experiments revealed that the adipose tissue scarcely released DDT into albumin solution or triglyceride suspensions. The results suggest that lipid may play an important role as a storage site of DDT and that albumin may behave as a carrier system.