Mercury Toxicity on Sodium Pump and Organoseleniums Intervention: A Paradox

Scheme 1

The model proposes a mechanism of signal transduction by inorganic mercury in the rat hepatocyte, inducing metallothionein synthesis. Hg first binds to the Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase at the inner surface of the membrane and then dissociates to bind to GSH which is preferred due to higher affinity of the metal for GSH. The Hg-GSH complex enters the nucleus through the 9 nm aqueous channel of the nuclear membrane where Hg induces the expression of the metallothionein gene by binding to the metal responsive element [28].