Expression of metallothionein-III induced by hypoxia attenuates hypoxia-induced cell death in vitro.
Metallothioneins (MTs) are metal-binding proteins that are expressed in many tissues including brain. MTs protect cells and organs against metal toxicity and oxidants. Among MTs, a brain-predominant subtype MT-III has prominent neuroprotective activity against various types of damage. Here we show that the expression of MT-III is induced in cultured normal human astrocytes by hypoxia, and that overexpressed MT-III protects human embryonic kidney cells from hypoxia, suggesting that MT-III can protect the brain from hypoxic damage.
Tanji
Kunikazu
K
Department of Molecular Biology, Institute of Brain Science, Hirosaki University School of Medicine, 5 Zaifu-cho, 036-8562 Hirosaki, Japan.
Irie
Yoshifumi
Y
Uchida
Yoko
Y
Mori
Fumiaki
F
Satoh
Kei
K
Mizushima
Yutaka
Y
Wakabayashi
Koichi
K
D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D016923:Cell Death; D015687:Cell Hypoxia; D002460:Cell Line; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007668:Kidney / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D000090023:Metallothionein 3; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D000090023:Metallothionein 3; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins