Biliary excretion of metallothionein and a possible degradation product in rats injected with copper and zinc.
The concentrations of metallothionein-I (MT-I) and related immunoreactive products in bile from adult female rats were measured by radioimmunoassay. Concentrations in normal animals were 20-30 ng/ml, but increased to 600 and 75 ng/ml after injection of Cu2+ and Zn2+ respectively (3 mg of metal/kg body wt.). However, only 1-2% of the biliary Cu was bound to MT, and less than 1% of the total liver MT in control or Cu2+-injected rats appeared to be secreted in intact form into bile. Other major immunoreactive components in bile from Cu2+-injected rats included an aggregated form of MT-I and a possible degradation product of the isoprotein.
D000818:Animals; D001646:Bile / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D003300:Copper / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D015032:Zinc / Q000494:pharmacology*
D003300:Copper; D008668:Metallothionein; D015032:Zinc