Modulation of organotin-induced apoptosis by the water pollutant methyl mercury in a human lymphoblastoid tumor cell line and a marine sponge

Abstract

Apoptosis IS a special form of cell death in which the cells act~vely participate in the process of dying. We found that the water pollutants tnbutylt~n (> 1 PM) and methyl mercury (MeHg; at concentrations of >3 FM) induce apoptosls In human T-lymphoblastoid CEM cells and in tlssue of the marlne sponge Geodia cydonium At concentrations of >5 yM. MeHg causes alkaline-labile sites in DNA of CEM cells. At the lower dose of 0.3 FM, MeHg abolishes the tr~butyltln-induced apoptosis in both CEM cells and sponge tissue. Incubation of sponge t ~s s u e w ~t h 3 yM of tnbutyltin Induces not only apoptosis but also a n increased expression of heat shock protein-70.