TRACE ELEMENT-INDUCED TOXICITY IN CULTURED HEART-CELLS

We have undertaken a multidisciplinary approach to study the toxic effects of several trace elements (e.g. Sb, Cd, Co, Pb, Hg, Zn) on the structure and function of cardiac cells. Although the basic mechanisms underlying these toxic effects remain unknown, altered membrane ion transport has been proposed as a major determinant in the onset of cell injury. By applying an array of techniques including light microscopy, atomic absorption spectroscopy, electrophysiology, and microspectrofluorometry, we show that cultured embryonic chick heart cells can serve as a useful model to study how trace elements affect the transport mechanisms that maintain intracellular ionic homeostasis. We present examples of how this model can be used to characterize the basic effects on ion homeostasis, to identify the mode of uptake of trace elements, and to quantitate the effects of trace elements on identified ion transport mechanisms. With this approach it should be feasible to elucidate the basic mechanisms underlying trace element-induced cardiotoxicity.