Uptake, distribution and binding of beryllium to organelles of the rat liver cell

Abstract

1. Male rats were injected intravenously with amounts ranging from 0·08 to 111·0μmoles of [7Be]beryllium sulphate/kg. body wt. The distribution in the rat and the subcellular distribution of beryllium in the liver were determined. 2. Within the entire dose range a higher specific activity of beryllium was present in a mitochondrial fraction containing the lysosomes. Purification of this fraction confirmed that beryllium is taken up by lysosomes. 3. With doses approaching the LD50, beryllium was also found in increasing amounts to be present in the liver cell nuclei. Beryllium also showed affinity towards isolated cell nuclei in vitro. Evidence is presented that they have one class of binding sites for beryllium. Mitochondria have less affinity for beryllium. 4. No evidence could be obtained of an affinity of beryllium for DNA or RNA by fractionation of nuclei and dialysis experiments. 5. The presence of beryllium in liver cell nuclei may be relevant to the effects of beryllium on nuclear structure and function.