Effect of mercuric chloride on some kidney enzymes in chow-fed and sucrose-fed rats

¹ Department of Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri

Rats given a diet of sucrose and vitamins for 3 weeks or more develop a tolerance to mercuric chloride greater than that of chow-fed rats. Comparison of several enzyme systems (tricarboxylic acid cycle, succinic dehydrogenase, cytochrome oxidase, -ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase, cathepsins and ß-glucuronidase) in chow-fed and sucrose-fed rats indicated no significant differences in activities. After 3 mg HgCl₂/kg i.v., notable differences in the extent of inhibition of tricarboxylic acid enzyme systems were observed. Twenty-four hours after such an injection, kidneys of chow-fed rats were seriously hampered in their ability to perform biological energy transformations. Oxidation and phosphorylation by sucrose-fed rat kidneys were considerably less inhibited.