title: Changes in brain metallothionen and zinc during development in transgenic mice.
abstract: The developmental alterations in metallothionein (MT) proteins and zinc (Zn) were investigated in brains of two transgenic strains of mice. MT protein was measured by a cadmium binding assay and Zn by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. MT proteins were expressed at birth (day 1) both in MT-I overexpressing transgenic mouse (MT-I*) and MT-null (expressing only brain specific isoform, MT-III) transgenic mouse. MT proteins level (mainly MT-I) in MT-I* was 16.1 microg/g at birth, and thereafter increased with age to a maximal adult level of 55.3 microg/g (day 60). Zn level in MT-I* also increased from 8.43 microg/g (day 1) to 20.7 microg/g (day 60) with age. MT protein (MT-III) in MT-null mouse was 9.71 microg/g at birth and remained relatively unchanged during development. Zn level in MT-null mouse at birth was 9.46 microg/g and also remained unchanged during development. The similar alterations in MT isoforms and Zn in brain during development suggest that MT isoforms may act as a Zn binding protein.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Health Sciences Centre, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
authors.forename: S I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Ono
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Cherian
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001921:Brain / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D002104:Cadmium / Q000032:analysis; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009929:Organ Size; D013045:Species Specificity; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic; D015032:Zinc / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D002104:Cadmium; D008668:Metallothionein; D015032:Zinc