Metal-binding molecules in the organs of Mus musculus by size-exclusion chromatography coupled with UV spectroscopy and ICP-MS

Mus musculus mice have been investigated for the total elements content in different organs (lung, liver, spleen, kidney, brain, testicle, heart and muscle) and molecular mass distribution patterns of Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Pb, Cr, Fe, Co, Se and Cd. Some differences have been found in the organs studied, with especially relevant being the Cu-containing fraction present only in the brain and the As-containing one in the liver. Other differences related to the abundance of the metallospecies have also been found. The present paper is the first step in the study of the "metallome" of this inbred laboratory species from which the genome is completely known. This organism could be used as a model in future studies focused on wild mice and the analytical approach developed could be applied to wild mice to find markers of environmental pollution.