title: Induction of hepatic metallothioneins determined at isoprotein and messenger RNA levels in glucocorticoid-treated rats.
abstract: Induction of metallothionein-I (MT-I) and metallothionein-II (MT-II) by glucocorticoids was determined by h.p.l.c. analysis of proteins and Northern-blot analysis of MT mRNAs. Rats were injected with dexamethasone (0.03-10 mumol/kg) and hepatic concentrations of MTs were determined 24 h later. In control rats, only MT-II was detected (9.4 +/- 2.5 micrograms/g of liver), whereas the hepatic concentration of MT-I was below the detection limit (5 micrograms of MT/g). Dexamethasone did not increase MT-I above the detection limit at any dosage tested, but MT-II increased to 2.5 times control values at dosages of 0.30 mumol/kg and higher. Time-course experiments indicated that MT-II reached a maximum at 24 h after a single dosage of dexamethasone and returned to control values by 48 h. To determine whether dexamethasone increased MT-I in liver, samples were saturated with 109Cd, after which the amount of 109Cd in MT-I and MT-II was determined. Results indicated that, by this approach, MT-I and MT-II could be detected in control rats, and there was approx. 1.8 times more 109Cd in MT-II than in MT-I. At 24 h after administration of dexamethasone (1 mumol/kg), there was a small increase in the amount of 109Cd bound to MT-I, whereas the amount of 109Cd bound to MT-II increased to more than 2 times control values. Northern-blot hybridization with mouse cRNA probes indicated that MT-I and MT-II mRNAs increased co-ordinately after administration of dexamethasone. Thus, although glucocorticoids increase both MT-I and MT-II mRNAs, MT-II preferentially accumulates after administration of dexamethasone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutics, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City 66103.
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Lehman-McKeeman
authors.forename: G K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Andrews
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Klaassen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002106:Cadmium Radioisotopes; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000378:metabolism*; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D002106:Cadmium Radioisotopes; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D003907:Dexamethasone; D008668:Metallothionein; D003345:Corticosterone