Mercury contamination of rat amylin mimics vasoactivity and cytotoxic effects.

Rat amylin differs from human amylin (hIAPP) in that it lacks a fibril-forming capacity. As a consequence, toxic effects have been reported for human but not for rat amylin. This report demonstrates how a mercury contamination of commercial rat amylin imitates peptide-related vasoactive and cytotoxic effects on preparations of isolated blood vessels. The source of mercury contamination was believed related to the peptide synthesis. Thiol groups of cysteine-containing peptides are often protected by acetamidomethyl (Acm) which is cleaved by mercuric acetate.