Havelaar A C, de Gast I L, Snijders S, Beerens C E, Mancini G M, Verheijen F W
Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
FEBS Lett. 1998 Oct 2;436(2):223-7. doi: 10.1016/s0014-5793(98)01133-8.
Lysosomes are thought to play a role in various aspects of heavy metal metabolism. In the present study we demonstrate for the first time the presence of a heavy metal ion transport protein in the lysosomal membrane. Uptake of radioactive silver both in highly purified lysosomal membrane vesicles and in purified intact lysosomes showed the typical kinetics of a carrier-mediated process. This transport was stimulated by ATP hydrolysis, and showed specificity for Ag+, Cu2+, and Cd2+. All biochemical properties of this lysosomal metal ion transporter could classify it as a heavy metal transporting P-type ATPase. Long Evans Cinnamon (LEC) rats, an animal model for the copper transport disorder Wilson disease, showed normal lysosomal silver transport.
