title: Zn and Cu alteration in connection with astrocyte metallothionein I/II overexpression in the mouse brain upon physical stress.
abstract: The distribution of metallothioneins I/II in the mouse brain and their specific area distribution upon physical stress were studied. To induce physical stress, groups of mice were subjected to total darkness for different periods (2 weeks, 1 month, and 2 months). The concentration of metallothioneins, evaluated by immunohistochemistry, as well as area-specific protein expression, were found in the following quantitative order: corpus striatum, cerebellum, mesencephalon, hippocampus with fornix, parts of thalamus, and pons. All other brain areas were marginally affected, or even unaffected, in terms of immunopositive metallothionein reaction. Metallothionein I/II expression was compared with the immunopositivity of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). It is noteworthy that metallothioneins and GFAP are expressed in different types of astrocytes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Mariano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beltramini
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Di Pisa
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zambenedetti
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wittkowski
authors.forename: Eugenio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mocchegiani
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Musicco
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zatta
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology*; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology; D003300:Copper / Q000378:metabolism*; D003624:Darkness / Q000009:adverse effects; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D005911:Gliosis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D015032:Zinc / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D003300:Copper; D008668:Metallothionein; D015032:Zinc