title: The role of metallothionein in oxidative stress.
abstract: Free radicals are chemical particles containing one or more unpaired electrons, which may be part of the molecule. They cause the molecule to become highly reactive. The free radicals are also known to play a dual role in biological systems, as they can be either beneficial or harmful for living systems. It is clear that there are numerous mechanisms participating on the protection of a cell against free radicals. In this review, our attention is paid to metallothioneins (MTs) as small, cysteine-rich and heavy metal-binding proteins, which participate in an array of protective stress responses. The mechanism of the reaction of metallothioneins with oxidants and electrophilic compounds is discussed. Numerous reports indicate that MT protects cells from exposure to oxidants and electrophiles, which react readily with sulfhydryl groups. Moreover, MT plays a key role in regulation of zinc levels and distribution in the intracellular space. The connections between zinc, MT and cancer are highlighted.
authors.affiliation: Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Technicka 3058/10, CZ-616 00 Brno, Czech Republic. kizek@sci.muni.cz.
authors.forename: Branislav
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ruttkay-Nedecky
authors.forename: Lukas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nejdl
authors.forename: Jaromir
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gumulec
authors.forename: Ondrej
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Zitka
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Masarik
authors.forename: Tomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Eckschlager
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stiborova
authors.forename: Vojtech
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Adam
authors.forename: Rene
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kizek