ATLA::Alternatives to Laboratory Animals

Volume 31, Number 4

Platinum toxicity and gene expression in Xenopus embryos: analysis by FETAX and differential display.

Claudio Monetti1, Giovanni Bernardini1, Davide Vigetti1, Mariangela Prati1, Salvador Fortaner2, Enrico Sabbioni2, and Rosalba Gornati1

1Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Università dell'Insubria, 3 Via Dunant, 21100 Varese, Italy; 2ECVAM, Institute for Health & Consumer Protection, European Commission Joint Research Centre, Ispra 21020 (VA), Italy

SUMMARY

Since the level of platinum in the environment is destined to increase, because of its use in vehicle catalytic converters, the toxicity of platinum needs further investigation. In this study, the frog embryo teratogenesis assay--Xenopus (FETAX) was used to compare the embryotoxicity and teratogenicity of two common platinum species, (NH4)2PtCl4 and (NH4)2PtCl6. The uptake rates of the two platinum species were studied, and also their effects on the expression of genes encoding metallothionein and heatshock protein 70, which are known to be induced by several stress factors. in addition, the differential display technique was used to search for genes that were specifically induced by platinum. A gene for the type I collagen α-chain and a novel gene were identified.

Keywords: collagen, FETAX, heat-shock protein, ICP-MS, metal, metallothionein