Metallothionein synthesis induced by interferon alpha/beta in mice of various zinc status.
We studied the ability of interferon alpha/beta (IFN) to induce metallothionein (MT) synthesis in mice. Male mice were injected intraperitoneally with mouse IFN (5 x 10(5) IU/mouse). Plasma Zn levels were reduced at 4 hr after injection, reached a minimum value at 6 hr, and then returned to the control level at 8 hr. Hepatic MT concentrations began to increase at 4 hr and reached maximum values at 6 hr. Induction of MT gene expression and protein synthesis was confirmed by Northern blot analysis and radioimmunoassay, respectively. The induction of MT synthesis in the liver by IFN was dose-dependent. The data suggest that induction of MT-mRNA and the protein in the liver by IFN occurs rapidly but is rather transient. Furthermore, MT synthesis was not induced by IFN in the liver of mice given a Zn-deficient diet, whereas IFN induced increases in the activity of 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase in the spleen were unaffected by Zn status. Thus, induction of hepatic MT synthesis by IFN is influenced by Zn status.
Sato
M
M
Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Fukushima Medical College, Japan.
Yamaki
J
J
Oguro
T
T
Yoshida
T
T
Nomura
N
N
Nakajima
K
K
D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D003300:Copper / Q000378:metabolism; D004032:Diet; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000502:physiology; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D009752:Nutritional Status / Q000502:physiology*; D015032:Zinc / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000378:metabolism
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D016899:Interferon-beta; D003300:Copper; D008668:Metallothionein; D015032:Zinc