title: D-penicillamine induces rat hepatic metallothionein.
abstract: Intraperitoneal injection of D-Penicillamine (D-PA) at a dose range of 20-500 mg/kg increased rat hepatic but not renal and pancreatic metallothionein (MT). Elevated MT predominantly contained Zn. Maximal induction was obtained 18 h after a single injection of 200 mg D-PA/kg resulting in 148 +/- 18 micrograms MT/g liver which was 16.4-times the control level of 9 +/- 2 micrograms MT/g. At 48 h after injection, MT declined to 18 +/- 9 micrograms MT/g liver. At maximal MT increase the content of total hepatic Zn but not of Cu was elevated. Increased amounts of Zn in liver homogenate, cytosol and MT could be detected approximately 4 h after injection of 200 mg D-PA/kg. Concomitantly there was a decrease in Zn bound to cytosolic non-MT ligands. All Zn changes reversed at 18 h. These data show that already single doses of D-PA cause induction of Zn-thionein in rat liver and lead to synchronous redistribution of Zn from endogenous sources to newly synthesized MT.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003300:Copper / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D010396:Penicillamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013997:Time Factors; D015032:Zinc / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D003300:Copper; D008668:Metallothionein; D010396:Penicillamine; D015032:Zinc