Reversibility of tributyltin-chloride-induced protein synthesis inhibition after ATP recovery in HEL-30 cells

The effect of tributyltin chloride (TBT) on ATP levels and protein synthesis was investigated in a murine epidermal cell line (HEL-30). Five minutes after exposure to 10-5 M TBT, cellular levels of ATP decreased by 57% and protein synthesis was significantly inhibited. The effect on ATP was stable up to 2 h incubation, whereas inhibition of protein synthesis increased with time of treatment. Partial (1 h) or complete (2 h) recovery of the two cell functions was observed when dithiothreitol (DTT) was added to the medium, 5 min after the damage and in the absence of TBT. The sequence of the observed effects suggests that TBT inhibition of protein synthesis is due to impairment of ATP production.