title: Induction of hepatic metallothionein synthesis by endoplasmic reticulum stress in mice.
abstract: Metallothionein (MT) is a small sulfhydryl-rich protein whose levels are elevated by various inducers of organelle stresses, such as nuclear stress (cisplatin), mitochondrial stress (antimycin A, 2,4-dinitrophenol) and lysosomal stress (paraquat). Although abnormal folding of protein in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) causes ER stress, induction of MT synthesis by ER stress has never been investigated. In this study, we examined the induction of MT by an inducer of ER stress, tunicamycin (Tun), which induces ER stress by inhibiting N-linked glycosylation of protein in the ER. Administration of Tun (0.5-1.5 mg/kg, sc) increased hepatic MT levels in C57BL/6J mice (3.1-fold). The maximal increase in hepatic MT was observed 48-96 h after the administration of Tun (1.0 mg/kg). Expressions of MT-I, II and glucose-regulated protein 78 (Bip/GRP78), which is a molecular chaperone induced by ER stress, mRNA were also detected by administration of Tun. Thapsigargin (Thap), a generator of ER stress by inhibiting ER Ca(2+)-ATPase, also increased both hepatic MT levels and expression of MT-I and -II mRNA. The level of expression of Bip/GRP78 mRNA induced by Tun administration in MT-null mice was greater than that in wild-type mice. Taken together, these findings suggest that inhibitors of ER are potent inducers of MT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokushima Bunri University, 180 Yamashiro-cho, Tokushima 770-8514, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kondoh
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tsukada
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kuronaga
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Higashimoto
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takiguchi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Himeno
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sato
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D000252:Calcium-Transporting ATPases / Q000494:pharmacology; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology*; D000091342:Endoplasmic Reticulum Chaperone BiP; D005838:Genotype; D006031:Glycosylation; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014415:Tunicamycin / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000091342:Endoplasmic Reticulum Chaperone BiP; C000717248:Hspa5 protein, mouse; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014415:Tunicamycin; D008668:Metallothionein; D000252:Calcium-Transporting ATPases