title: Metallothioneins and cancer.
abstract: Metallothioneins (MTs) are low molecular, cysteine-rich proteins that have naturally-occurring Zn(2+) in both clusters. They may serve as a reservoir of metals for synthesis of apoenzymes and zinc-finger transcription regulators. MTs are also involved with several important proteins e.g. p53, NF-kappaB, PKCl, and GTPase Rab3A. New biological roles for these proteins have been identified including those needed in the carcinogenic process. However, their use as a predictive marker remains controversial. Several reports have disclosed MTs expression as a prognostic factor for tumor progression and drug resistance in a variety of malignancies particularly breast, prostatic, ovarial, head and neck, non-small cell lung cancer, melanoma, and soft tissue sarcoma. The role of MTs as a tumor disease marker or as a cause of resistance in cancer treatment is reviewed and discussed. Moreover, we describe some analytical methods that were developed to detect MTs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry, Zemedelska 1, Brno CZ-613 00, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Tomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Eckschlager
authors.forename: Vojtech
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Adam
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hrabeta
authors.forename: Katarina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Figova
authors.forename: Rene
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kizek
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D054697:Cytostatic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D006801:Humans; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D054697:Cytostatic Agents; D008668:Metallothionein