title: Investigation of metal-binding metallothioneins in the tissues of rats after oral intake of cinnabar.
abstract: The multi-metal-binding MT fractions in rat tissues after oral intake of cinnabar were characterized by hyphenated size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). With the increase of both the feeding time and dosage of cinnabar the amounts of Hg-binding MT fractions in rat kidney of groups fed cinnabar increased significantly compared with the control group. Meanwhile, more Cu-binding MT were synthesized in the rat kidney, which confirmed the manipulating effect of MT in the homeostasis of Cu for detoxification of nephritic mercury. Although the Hg-binding MT fractions in rat liver of all cinnabar groups were almost independent of cinnabar dosage (2.5-5.0 g kg(-1) bw) and feeding time (2-4 weeks), the amount was much higher than that of the control group. The amounts of Hg-MT in other rat tissues of the cinnabar groups and the control group were compared and their significance is discussed.
authors.affiliation: College of Bioengineering, Jimei University, 361021 Xiamen, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Yong
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Jin-Can
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Zhi-Xia
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Zhuang
authors.forename: Xiao-Ru
authors.initials: XR
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Frank S C
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D017669:Mercury Compounds / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D017669:Mercury Compounds; D008668:Metallothionein; C034211:cinnabar