[Effect of dietary intoxication by mercury salts on cysteine proteinase activity in rat tissues].

The experiments on dietary intoxication of rats by HgI2 or Hg(NO3)2 show that the activities of lysosomal proteinase cathepsin B and cytosolic Ca(2+)-activated proteinases (calpains I and II) in the liver and kidney depend on the mercury salt solubility and the exposure duration. Mercury iodide and nitrate contribute more to inhibiting cathepsin B and calpains activities in the above tissues, respectively.