Human & Experimental Toxicology

 

Advanced Search

Journal Navigation

Journal Home

Subscriptions

Archive

Contact Us

Table of Contents

Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow References
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to Saved Citations
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Request Reprints
Right arrow Add to My Marked Citations
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Damelin, L H
Right arrow Articles by Alexander, J J
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Damelin, L H
Right arrow Articles by Alexander, J J
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati  
What's this?
Human & Experimental Toxicology, Vol. 19, No. 7, 420-430 (2000)
DOI: 10.1191/096032700678816133

Hormesis: A stress response in cells exposed to low levels of heavy metals

L H Damelin

Department of Microbiology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

S Vokes

J M Whitcutt

Highveld Biological Association, Johannesburg, South Africa

S B Damelin

Department of Mathematics, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

J J Alexander

Department of Microbiology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

Cytotoxicity studies using a 3-(4,5 dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MT)-based in vitro toxicity assay revealed that McCoy cells exposed to low concentrations of mercuric (0.7 yM),cadmium (1 1M) and cupric chloride (3 tIM) exhibited significant increases in cellular activity. This increased activity, previously termed hormesis, coincided with the production ofhigh levels ofthe stress proteins, heat shock protein 70 (Hsp 70) and metallothionein, while the high constitutive expression of these proteins in cadmium-resistant mutant (CRM) cells corresponded to constitutive hormetic activity. Hormesis was found to obey uniform kinetics allowing for a mathematical description of this increased activity. These results suggest that hormetic activity is a specific cellular response, and most likely, a stress response to low but harmful levels of toxic agents and may therefore provide a rapid test for the presence of toxicants at concentrations associated with chronic toxicity.

Key Words: hormesis • heavy metal • toxicity • stress response


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Am. J. Physiol. Cell Physiol.Home page
P. Hamel, E. Abed, L. Brissette, and R. Moreau
Characterization of oxidized low-density lipoprotein-induced hormesis-like effects in osteoblastic cells
Am J Physiol Cell Physiol, April 1, 2008; 294(4): C1021 - C1033.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Eur J OrthodHome page
B. Vande Vannet, N. Mohebbian, and H. Wehrbein
Toxicity of used orthodontic archwires assessed by three-dimensional cell culture
Eur J Orthod, October 1, 2006; 28(5): 426 - 432.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Hum Exp ToxicolHome page
L H Damelin and J J Alexander
Metal-induced hormesis requires cPKC dependent glucose transport and lowered respiration
Human and Experimental Toxicology, July 1, 2001; 20(7): 347 - 358.
[Abstract] [PDF]