Mitochondrial Electron Transport Chain in Heavy Metal-Induced Neurotoxicity: Effects of Cadmium, Mercury, and Copper

Table 1

Basal respiration rates (%) of PC12 cells after different time of incubation with increasing concentration of Hg²⁺, Cd²⁺, or Cu²⁺.

Time (h)	Control	[Hg^2+], μM		[Cd^2+], μM				[Cu^2+], μM
		10	50	10	50	100	500	10	50	100	500
3	45±4	26±5 *	3±3 *	41±7	25±3 *	16±4 *	2±2 *	43±7	35±7	35±5	35±5
5	35±6					6±3 *
24	39±7	30±2	2±2 *	32±2	13±6 *	7±1 *	0	33±5	32±2	34±5	22±8 *
48	41±5	74±26 *									15±3 *

Rate of oxygen uptake is presented in percentage of the maximal (fully uncoupled) respiration of the control cells. Mean ± SE; 𝑛=3 independent experiments; *𝑃<0.05 compared to untreated control.