Modulation of organotin-induced apoptosis by the water pollutant methyl mercury in a human lymphoblastoid tumor cell line and a marine sponge

poptosis IS a special form of cell death in which the cells act~velyparticipate in the process of dying. We found that the water pollutants tnbutylt~n(> 1 P M ) and methyl mercury (MeHg; at concentrations of > 3 FM) induce apoptosls In human T-lymphoblastoid CEM cells and in tlssue of the marlne sponge Geodia cydonium At concentrations of >5 yM. MeHg causes alkaline-labile sites in
DNA of CEM cells. At the lower dose of 0.3 FM, MeHg abolishes the tr~butyltln-inducedapoptosis in both CEM cells and sponge tissue. Incubation of sponge t ~ s s u ew ~ t h3 yM of tnbutyltin Induces not only apoptosis but also a n increased expression of heat shock protein-70.