Expression of human metallothionein-III in transgenic mice.
Transgenic mice that express human metallothionein-III (hMT-III) were generated. Human MT-III mRNA expression was prominent in brain, resulting in a 9-fold elevation of MT-III mRNA in cortex, a 3-5-fold elevation in hippocampus, thalamus, brainstem, and olfactory bulb, and a 1.4-fold elevation in cerebellum. Human MT-III protein was detected biochemically and accounted for a 3.4-fold increase in total brain MT. The concentration of zinc (but not copper) was elevated in those brain regions that expressed the most hMT-III mRNA. The histochemically reactive pool of zinc, as measured by Timm's stain or TS-Q histofluorescence, was not appreciably altered. No changes in brain weight, morphology or histology have been noted; the mice breed normally and appear to have normal behavior.
Erickson
J C
JC
Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle 98195, USA.
Masters
B A
BA
Kelly
E J
EJ
Brinster
R L
RL
Palmiter
R D
RD
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000378:metabolism; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000378:metabolism; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009830:Olfactory Bulb / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D013788:Thalamus / Q000378:metabolism; D015032:Zinc / Q000378:metabolism
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D008668:Metallothionein; D015032:Zinc