title: Cadmium-induced elevation of hepatic isometallothionein concentrations in inbred strains of mice.
abstract: Susceptibility to Cd toxicity differs among inbred strains of mice. For example, C3H/He mice are sensitive to Cd-induced hepatotoxicity while DBA/2 mice are resistant. Metallothionein (MT), which in rodents exists predominantly as two isoproteins (MT-I and MT-II), is an important endogenous protein in the detoxication of Cd. The present investigation examines the possibility that strain-dependent susceptibility to Cd-induced liver injury is mediated by an inherited inability to accumulate a specific isoform of MT in response to Cd exposure. Hepatic concentrations of MT-I and MT-II were measured in C3H/He (Cd-sensitive) and DBA/2 (Cd-resistant) mice at various times after the administration of non-toxic (2.5 mumol Cd/kg) to hepatototoxic (80 mumol Cd/kg) dosages of Cd. The concentration of MT-I and MT-II in these strains was similar 24 h after injection of non-hepatotoxic dosages of Cd (10 mumol Cd/kg or less) as well as 6-12 h after a mildly hepatotoxic dose of Cd (20 mumol Cd/kg). The concentration of total MT in liver of Cd-sensitive mice was greater than that present in resistant mice 24-72 h after 20 mumol Cd/kg injection. The data indicates that susceptibility to Cd-induced hepatotoxicity observed in C3H/He mice is not due to a deficit in the induction of a particular isoform of MT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutics, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City 66103.
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Kershaw
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Klaassen
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D002104:Cadmium / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA
chemical_list: D002104:Cadmium; D008668:Metallothionein; D000410:Alanine Transaminase