Manipulation of expression of arsenic (+3 oxidation state) methyltransferase in cultured cells.
Methylation of inorganic arsenic to produce mono-, di-, or trimethylated products is the central process in the cellular metabolism of arsenic. Identification of arsenic (+3 oxidation state) methyltransferase (As3mt) as the enzyme that could catalyze all the steps in the pathway for arsenic methylation suggests that expression of this enzyme could be a useful target for manipulation. Here, methods are described for heterologous expression of the rat As3mt gene in a human urothelial cell line that normally does not express this enzyme and for silencing of the AS3MT gene by RNA interference in a human hepatoma cell line. These tools can be applied to elucidating the role of methylation in the toxic and carcinogenic effects of arsenicals.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Zuzana
Z
Drobna
Miroslav
M
Styblo
David J
DJ
Thomas
D000818:Animals; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000502:physiology*; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D008780:Methyltransferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D034622:RNA Interference; D051381:Rats; D019459:Urothelium / Q000166:cytology
D008780:Methyltransferases