Identificación y cuantificación del arsénico unido a las proteínas de tejidos cardiovasculares de pacientes sometidos a cirugía de revascularización coronaria

Abstract

Background: The effects of arsenic (As) toxi-city - cardiovascular disease, pigmentation, coronary artery occlusion- come from ingestion of contaminated drinking water and environmental exposure. Protein linkage or As(III) and As methylation may be a first step in detoxification. The aim of this study is to evaluate protein linkage of As in the right atrium (RA) and saphenous vein (SV) of As exposed subjects from Antofagasta, Chile Method: As-protein linkage was studied in the cytosol of AD and SV obtained from 6 patients operated on for coronary artery disease. Molecular exclusion columns of 3 different mass ranges were used to obtain the cytosol fraction. As species were detected by induction coupled mass spectrometry and visible ultraviolet spectrometry (links of As and protein thyolates). Results: As was widely distributed in AD and SV in all subjects. As collected in the 3 different columns used were 10%, 25% and 50%. Only As(III) and As(V) were obtained through the method used (IC-HPLC-ICP-MS); a normal distribution was evident for both As species. The relation As(III)/As(V) was similar in AD and SV. Conclusion: A linkage of As and proteins through neighbor sulphidryl groups is present in cardiovascular tissues of exposed subjects. It is likely that As is linked to >80 kDA protein fractions and to quaternary subu-nits or the native protein.