Effects of nickel chloride and diethyldithiocarbamate on metallothionein in rat liver and kidney.

Effects of NiCl2 and sodium diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC) upon metallothionein (MT) concentrations were studied in liver and kidney of male Fischer rats. After injection of NiCl2 (0.75 mmol per kg, sc), hepatic MT concentration increased 2.6-fold at 6.5 hr and 8.2-fold at 17 hr; renal MT concentration increased 1.4-fold at 6.5 hr and 2.3-fold at 17 hr. Dose-related increases of MT concentrations were observed in liver and kidney of rats killed 17 hr after injection of NiCl2 (0.25 to 0.75 mmol per kg, sc). Repeated administration of NiCl2 (0.1 mmol per kg, ip) on four successive days, with sacrifice three days after the last treatment, increased MT concentrations 1.4-fold in liver and kidney, whereas CdCl2-treatment at the same dosage schedule increased MT concentration 16-fold in liver and 3.3-fold in kidney. NiCl2-Induction of MT in liver and kidney was not prevented by actinomycin D (1 mg per kg, ip), but was inhibited by cycloheximide (2 mg per kg, ip). Sodium diethyldithiocarbamate given alone (1.33 mmol per kg, im) 17 hr before death, increased MT concentration 7.6-fold in liver but did not affect MT concentration in kidney; administration of DDC prior to injection of NiCl2 did not inhibit NiCl2-induction of MT.