Metallothionein-II and ferritin H mRNA levels are increased in arsenite-exposed HeLa cells.
Arsenite is extremely toxic and, though non-mutagenic, is a carcinogen. To determine the effects of arsenite on changes in cell physiology, we searched for genes in HeLa cells whose mRNAs are more abundant after cellular exposure to arsenite. A cDNA subtraction was performed between cDNA synthesized from HeLa cells grown in the absence and presence of 5 microM sodium arsenite. Isolation and sequencing of three clones that showed a higher hybridization signal to RNA from arsenite-exposed cells, versus unexposed cells, revealed that two of the cDNAs coded for human ferritin H chain and the other coded for metallothionein-II. These results suggest the possibility that arsenite exposure may lead to increased levels of oxygen radicals, which augmented metallothionein and ferritin can act to detoxify.
Guzzo
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A
McGill University, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Karatzios
C
C
Diorio
C
C
DuBow
M S
MS
D018053:Arsenites / Q000633:toxicity*; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D005293:Ferritins / Q000235:genetics*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*
D018053:Arsenites; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D005293:Ferritins; D008668:Metallothionein; C015001:arsenite