• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.26 no.2
• /
• pp.156-163
• /
• 1993

This study was carried out to investigate accumulation of metallothionein(MT) in rat liver and kidney by cadmium administration. After male rats of Sprague-Dawley strain weighing 60$\pm$5g were fed basal diet ad libitum for 4 weeks, two types of experiments were performed. In the first set of experiment, rats were divided into five groups. Control groups was fed basal diet without injection of cadmium. Dose groups of A, B, C and D were i.p. injected 0.625, 1.25, 2.5, 5mg Cd/Kg of body wt, once a day for two days. In the second set of experiment, rats were also divided into five groups. Control group was fed basal diet without injection of cadmium. Number groups of I, II, III and IV were i.p. injected 1, 2, 3, and 4 times every 24hrs, respectively and injection doses were 2.5mg Cd/Kg of body wt. in a day. In the first of experiment, hemoglobin contents in C, D groups were lower than control group. MT concentrations in liver and kidney were increased with increasing Cd injection doses to 2.5mg Cd/Kg of body wt. Liver - SH group values in C, D groups were higher than control group. Hematocrit values did not differ among groups. In the second of experiment, hemoglobin contents and hematocrit values were decreased. MT concentration in liver and kidney were progressively increased with increasing number of Cd injection. In both sets of experiments, liver MT concentrations were higher than kidney.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.36-39
• /
• 2003

Many defined cell culture media were formulated over 3() years ago and may be deficient in certain micronutrients whose essentiality has only subsequently been recognised. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether alpha-minimal essential medium (MEM) supplemented with 10% foetal bovine serum contained sufficient selenium for optimal activity of the selenium containing enzymes cytosolic glutathione peroxidase (cGPx) and phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase (PHGPx) in cultured Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Additionally, the effect of zinc deficiency and metallothionein (MT) overexpression on cGPx and PHGPx activity was studied. The addition of 100 nM of selenous acid to the culture medium increased cGPx expression by 10-fold and PHGPx by about 2-fold in both wild-type CHO-K1 cells and CHO-K1 cells overexpressing mouse MT-1. Zinc deficiency had no significant effect on enzyme activity, but cells overexpressing mouse MT-1 had higher levels of cGPx activity. Zinc deficiency decreased cell survival but overexpression of MT-1 was partially protective, probably because its presence in quantity favoured the uptake, sequestration and cellular retention of any remaining zinc. This study demonstrates that selenium in complete alpha-MEM is insufficient for optimal cGPx and PHGPx activity and may compromise the cellular response to oxidative stress.

• Applied Microscopy
• /
• v.38 no.3
• /
• pp.175-183
• /
• 2008

Liver regeneration is a result of highly coordinated proliferation of hepatocytes and non-parenchymal liver cells. At this process, induction of metallothionein (MT), which is low molecular and cysteine rich, has been reported. The present study was carried to find the ultrastructure of hepatocytes and determine the expression of MT in regenerating rat liver after partial hepatectomy. As a result, the remnant liver after PH grew fast from 1 day until 7 days. Various changes were morphologically observed. Disintegration of cell plates and liver lobule appeared shortly after PH. And hepatocytes showed the rapid proliferation, characterized by high nuclear cytoplasmic ratio, weak intercellular junctional complexes, chromatin condensation, increase of ribosomes and mitochondria, and temporary increase of lipid droplets. Finally, remodeling of the liver lobule was completed through the rearrangement of blood vessels and cell plates by 7 days after PH. On histochemistry, immunoreactivity indicating the presence of MT appeared moderately throughout the cytoplasm of control rat hepatocyte. After PH, positive reactions for MT increased at the cytoplasm and the nucleus. These results suggest that the remnant liver cells immediately entered cell proliferation and increase of MT expression after PH. It is thought that MT protein might be associated with transfer of some factors needed to cell division from the cytoplasm to the nucleus for regeneration of the liver after PH.

• Development and Reproduction
• /
• v.6 no.1
• /
• pp.31-35
• /
• 2002

The major urinary proteins(MUPs) of mice that bind hydrophobic molecules known as pheromones are regulated in part by the actions of growth hormone. The expression of the MUPs was therefore investigated in transgenic mice that express a human growth hormone-releasing factor gene from a metallothionein gene promoter(MT-GRF) and as a result have elevated growth hormone levels. MUPs were severely down-regulated in the urine of these animals compared to normal mice or to control transgenic mice expressing another gene(the inhibin a subunit) from the same metallothionein promoter(MT-Inh) and more MUPs disappeared in male mice than female ones. MUPs were also down-regulated in the urine of the UT-GRF-injected mice. In addition, it was observed that the urine of the MT-GRF mice included a high molecular weight protein that co-migrates with the major serum protein albumin, indicating an impairment in glomerular filtration within the kidney. The urinary loss of serum proteins was more severe in male MT-GRF mice than female ones. Thus the overexpression of human GRF mimics changes observed in MUP protein expression and glomerular function in other models of growth hormone hypersecretion with sex-dependent differential effects.

• KSBB Journal
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.38-43
• /
• 2002

Characteristics of cell growth and heavymetal adsorption by recombinant Saccharomyus cerevisiae strains harboring multiple copies of the CUP1 gene encoding metallothione (MT) protein were studied in batch cultures. Recombinant S. cerevisiae strains harboring multiple copies of the CUP1 gene were superior to the host and wild-type yeast strains in terms of cell growth and heavy metal removal, indicating that the copy number of the CUP1 gene for MT expression played an important role in the adsorption of heavy metals. It was suggested that the CUP1 promoter for the MT expression is induced by manganese and zinc as well as copper An optimum copper concentration for MT expression and concomitant adsorption of heavy metals by recombinant S. cerevisiae was found to be 0.31 mM. A nonionic surfactant Triton X-100 enhanced cell growth by 17.7% and removal of zinc by 6.1% compared with the control case.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
• /
• v.24 no.1
• /
• pp.73-80
• /
• 2008

Numerous morphological studies on N. samarangae have been well conducted over the last ten years. In this context, we have attemtped to do molecular phylogenetic analysis by using metallothionein (MT) gene from N. samarangae. To this end, we cloned the full length cDNA of MT from cDNA library of N. samarangae. The complete cDNA sequences were obtained from the expressed sequence tag (EST) sequencing project of N. samarangae, The coding region of 195 bp gives an amino acid sequence of 65 residues including methionine. There are 5' (61 bp) and 3' (48 bp) untranslated region at both ends of the Ns-MT cDNA sequence. The combined results from BLAST analyses, multiple sequence alignment and molecular phylogenetic study of Ns-MT cDNA indicate that N. samarangae has similarity to land snails such as Helix pomatia, Helix aspersa and Arianta arbustorum.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.223-230
• /
• 2009

Metallothioneins (MTs) play a key role in metallic homeostasis and detoxification in most living organisms. In an attempt to study the biological functions and significance of MT in a snail, we cloned and partially characterized the MT gene from the left-handed snail, Physa acutawhich has been regarded as a potential biomonitering species for fresh water. The complete cDNA sequence of PaMT cDNA was identified from the expressed sequence tag (EST) sequencing project of Physa acuta. The coding region of 180 bp gives 60 amino acid residues including the initiation methionine and termination codon. Clustering and phylogenic analysis of PaMT with other MT amino acid sequences show that it has some identities to Helix pomatia (60%), Arianta arbustorum (58%), Perna viridis (49%), Mytilus edulis (49%), Bathymodiolus azoricus (49%), Bathymodiolus azoricus (48%) and Bathymodiolus sp. FD-2002 (48%). Time dependent induction for PaMT from P. acuta exposed with cadmium (50 ppb) indicated that PaMT was induced at 4-8 hr after exposure. It remains to further develop PaMTas a potential biomarker for water contamination in fresh water.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.1-10
• /
• 2001

Since the Industrial Revolution, people have enjoyed an abundant life, owing to the technological innovations of science. However, because of changes in the environment or polution to the environment, it has brought on many chronic diseases. Especially, even though it may be a small amount, if cadmium gets into a human body, because its biological half life is long, it fatally causes a kidney disease and damage to human organisms. It was reported that Metallothioneins(MT), a substance that is closely related with a free radical that comes from environmental pollution and the course of which cadmium, which causes chronic addition in the body, is formed, along with harmful metals, make the toxicity reduce. MT compound led into the body by cadmium indirectly functions as an antioxidation, supplied adequate amount of vitamin E, and suppresses the accumulation of cadmium in heart, liver and blood. Cadmium content found in Korean soil according to the test conducted from 1992 to 1996 was 0.02~0.03mg/kg in cereals, pulses, and potatoes. Free radical scavenger, finding solution for metal substance that comes from environmental pollution from food and natural substances implicates a better future for the study of food science.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.3 no.1
• /
• pp.15-22
• /
• 2009

This study was performed to investigate the effect of chlorella on cadmium (Cd) toxicity in Cd-administered rats. Sixty male Sprague-Dawley rats (14 week-old) were blocked into 6 groups. Cadmium chloride was given at levels of 0 or 325 mg (Cd: 0, 160 ppm), and chlorella powder at levels of 0, 3 and 5%. Cadmium was accumulated in blood and tissues (liver, kidney and small intestine) in the Cd-exposed groups, while the accumulation of Cd was decreased in the Cd-exposed chlorella groups. Fecal and urinary Cd excretions were remarkably increased in Cd-exposed chlorella groups. Thus, cadmium retention ratio and absorption rate were decreased in the Cd exposed chlorella groups. Urinary and serum creatinine, and creatinine clearance were not changed in experimental animals. In addition, metallothionein (MT) synthesis in tissues was increased by Cd administration. The Cd-exposed chlorella groups indicated lower MT concentration compared to the Cd-exposed groups. Moreover, glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was not changed by dietary chI orella and Cd administration. According to the results above, this study could suggest that Cd toxicity can be alleviated by increasing Cd excretion through feces. Therefore, when exposed to Cd, chlorella is an appropriate source which counteracts heavy metal poisoning, to decrease the damage of tissues by decreasing cadmium absorption.

• KSBB Journal
• /
• v.10 no.5
• /
• pp.475-481
• /
• 1995

The effect of metallothionein expression on the metal resistance and removal by recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae containing the plasmid pJW9 was investigated. The recombinant strain S. cerevisiae BZ-pJ was constructed by transforming the host strain S. cerevisiae BZ3l-1-7Ba with the gene coding for a metal-binding protein, metallothionein. Introduction of the MT gene yielded an increase in the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of copper more than three times compared with the host strain. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of $Cr^{2+}, Znr^{2+} and Pb^{2+}, $ were not different for the two strains. The recombinant yeast grown in a medium containing 8mM CuSO4 was able to remove copper with a capacity of 18.9mg $Cu^{2+}$/g dry cell. In a mixture of copper and zinc, the presence of copper relieved the toxic effects caused by zinc, resulting in an enhancement of the final cell density and the specific growth rate of the recombinant yeast. The capability to remove copper by the recombinant yeast was linearly proportional to the copper concentrations in the medium. The efficiency of copper removal was rather constant regardless of the initial copper concentrations. The specific removal of zinc was dependent on the zinc concentrations in media, though, and such dependence was not so pronounced as the concentration of copper.