Copper-metallothionein induction in the liver of LEC rats.
Recently, copper (Cu) was found to be unusually accumulated, suggesting the induction of metallothionein (MT) in the liver of LEC rats (Long-Evans rats with a cinnamon-like coat color), which develop spontaneous jaundice with hereditary hepatitis. Thus, the direct relationship between the unusual Cu accumulation and the induction of Cu-MT was investigated by giving LEC rats Cu-overloaded or Cu-deficient diets. Results based on the determinations of Cu and MT levels in several organs, as well as the gel-filtration profiles of the cytosols of liver homogenates, showed that dietary Cu induced Cu-MT and development of hepatic injury associated with jaundice.
Sakurai
H
H
Department of Analytical Chemistry, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Japan.
Kamada
H
H
Fukudome
A
A
Kito
M
M
Takeshima
S
S
Kimura
M
M
Otaki
N
N
Nakajima
K
K
Kawano
K
K
Hagino
T
T
D000818:Animals; D003300:Copper / Q000378:metabolism*; D003600:Cytosol / Q000378:metabolism; D006520:Hepatitis, Animal / Q000235:genetics*; D007565:Jaundice / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051381:Rats; D011922:Rats, Mutant Strains
D003300:Copper; D008668:Metallothionein