[Expression of metallothioneins on zinc exposure in rat hippocampal neurons].
OBJECTIVE
To study the homeostasis of zinc in central nervous system.


METHODS
Expression of MT1/MT2/MT3 on various concentration of zinc exposure (0-150 micromol/L) was determined and their expression on 100 micromol/L zinc exposure after 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 hours in primary culture rat hippocampal neurons was measured by real-time fluorescent quantitative RT-PCR.


RESULTS
Amount of MT3 mRNA was highest followed by MT1 mRNA, MT2 mRNA ranked third. Expression of MT1 and MT2 mRNA could be up-regulated significantly on 75-100 micromol/L zinc exposure, and then, reach to a plateau on 125-150 micromol/L. Their peak mRNA levels appeared at about 6 h after addition of zinc was added. However, the MT3 mRNA was decreased by about 60% after zinc was added 6 h later.


CONCLUSIONS
The results showed that not only the MT3 but also the MT1 and MT2 were involved in the regulation of zinc homeostasis in neurons, just like neuroglial cell do.
Qin
Haihong
H
Department of Military Hygiene, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
Shen
Hui
H
Wang
Fudi
F
Guo
Junsheng
J
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism*; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015854:Up-Regulation; D015032:Zinc / Q000633:toxicity*
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D008668:Metallothionein; D015032:Zinc