Lysosomal membrane labilization by DDT, DDE and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB)

Abstract

Incubation of the ubiquitous pollutants, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), DDT and DDE with rat liver lysosomes shows that these lipophillic substrates are highly active labilizers of lysosomal membranes. The release of acid phosphatase was used as a marker enzyme and at high PCB, DDT and DDE concentrations (2X10(-3)M) the lytic activity was similar to that of the detergent Triton X-100; at lower concentrations most of the commercial PCB samples, DDT and DDE still retain considerably lytic activity.