In vitro exposure to mercury and cadmium alters term human placental membrane fluidity

The effect of incubation with mercury (Hg) as HgCl2 and cadmium (Cd) as CdCl2, at levels of 6 or 12 micrograms/ml of medium, on explants of term human placental microvillus membrane fluidity were studied. After incubation for 6 or 24 hr explants for each dose level were pooled and washed with fresh medium to remove any unbound metal. Placental membranes were separated by differential centrifugation and fluidity was studied by steady-state fluorescence polarization, expressed as the fluorescence anisotropy, r, with 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene as a probe. The results show that membranes derived from explants incubated for 24 hr with either 6 or 12 micrograms/ml medium of either metal showed fluorescence anisotropy values (i.e., decreased fluidity) significantly higher than that of their respective controls. With 6 micrograms/ml of either metal the decrease in fluidity was highly significant for both metals and with 12 micrograms/ml a further decrease in membrane fluidity was observed with either metal. Both metals accumulated in placental membranes in proportion to their level in the medium. Membrane accumulation of Cd was higher than that of Hg. The cholesterol, phospholipid, and cholesterol-to-phospholipid mole ratios in membranes derived from metal-treated explants were unchanged, compared to their respective controls. However, no changes in membrane fluidity were observed in the samples incubated for 6 hr. In conclusion, exposure of placental cells to Hg and Cd caused accumulation of the metals in the membranes and lowered the membrane fluidity, which may affect membrane function and cause damage to the developing fetus.