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An Anaerobic Biosensor Assay for the Detection of Mercury and Cadmium
Published on: December 17, 2018
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Cadmium-binding proteins in human blood plasma
Yiling Li1, Yong-Shun Huang2, Bin He1
1State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China.
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
|November 10, 2019
Summary
This study identified apolipoprotein A-I as a cadmium-binding protein in human plasma, crucial for understanding cadmium transport and accumulation in the body.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Toxicology
- Proteomics
Background:
- Blood serves as a key transport medium for metal contaminants, influencing their distribution and biological fate.
- Metal-protein interactions in blood are critical in determining the behavior of introduced metals within the body.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize cadmium-binding proteins in normal human plasma.
- To investigate cadmium-binding proteins in maternal and fetal umbilical cord plasma.
Main Methods:
- Plasma samples (normal and umbilical cord) were depleted of albumin and immunoglobulin G.
- Analysis of crude and depleted plasma using column gel electrophoresis and Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS).
- Identification of cadmium-binding proteins using high-resolution mass spectrometry.
Main Results:
- A single cadmium-binding protein was detected in 11 out of 29 normal plasma samples.
- This protein was consistently found in all three paired maternal and cord plasma samples.
- The identified protein was confirmed as apolipoprotein A-I.
Conclusions:
- Apolipoprotein A-I is a significant cadmium-binding protein in human blood plasma.
- This finding is critical for understanding cadmium's transportation and accumulation mechanisms in humans.
- This is the first study to identify cadmium-binding proteins directly in human blood plasma.
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