title: Expression of metallothionein in the liver and kidneys of the red deer (Cervus elaphus L.) from an industrial metal smelting area of Poland.
abstract: The metallothionein 1 (MT1) coding sequence of red deer was identified and compared to orthologous sequences from other mammals. Over 90% identity was observed between red deer MT1 amino acid sequence and MT1 sequences of other ruminants. Liver and kidney samples of red deer were collected from the industrial zinc smelting site of Miasteczko Slaskie and from the Masuria Lake District serving as a pollution-free control site. The concentrations of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) were analyzed by the atomic absorption spectrometry technique (AAS). The levels of Cd in the liver of red deer from the metal smelting region was about 8 times higher than for the reference control site. Next, the expression of MT1 mRNA in the liver of red deer was quantified by the reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and the expression of MT1/2 protein in the liver and kidneys was analyzed by immunohistochemistry. Positive correlations were found between expression levels for MT1 mRNA and the concentrations of Cu and Zn in liver of red deer, and with the age of animals. Immunohistochemical staining demonstrated the nuclear and cytoplasmatic expression in both liver and kidney tissues, but with no obvious relationship shown for the expression of MT1/2 protein and tissue metal levels. Our results showed that the analysis of MT expression levels in the red deer could not be used independently as a biomarker for identifying exposure to Cd, but could be co-analyzed with tissue metal levels to give better prognosis for environmental exposure to metals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology and Pharmacology, National Veterinary Research Institute, Aleja Partyzantów 57, 24-100 Puławy, Poland. Electronic address: maciej.durkalec@piwet.pulawy.pl.
authors.forename: Maciej
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Durkalec
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biotechnology, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, Großenhainer Str. 57, 01968 Senftenberg, Germany; Department of Biochemistry, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, ul. C. K. Norwida 31, 51-375 Wroclaw, Poland. Electronic address: rkolenda@B-TU.de.
authors.forename: Rafał
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kolenda
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, ul. C. K. Norwida 31, 51-375 Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Owczarek
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology and Pharmacology, National Veterinary Research Institute, Aleja Partyzantów 57, 24-100 Puławy, Poland.
authors.forename: Józef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Szkoda
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology and Pharmacology, National Veterinary Research Institute, Aleja Partyzantów 57, 24-100 Puławy, Poland.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nawrocka
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Wroclaw Medical University, ul. Chałubińskiego 6a, 50-368 Wrocław, Poland.
authors.forename: Jędrzej
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Grzegrzółka
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Wroclaw Medical University, ul. Chałubińskiego 6a, 50-368 Wrocław, Poland; Department of Physiotherapy, Wroclaw University of Physical Education, al. I. J. Paderewskiego 35, 51-612 Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dzięgiel
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Reproduction with Clinic, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, ul. M. Oczapowskiego 14, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Socha
authors.affiliation: Department of Environment, Hygiene and Animal Welfare, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, ul. Chełmonskiego 38C, 51-630 Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Roman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kołacz
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biotechnology, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, Großenhainer Str. 57, 01968 Senftenberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schierack
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology and Pharmacology, National Veterinary Research Institute, Aleja Partyzantów 57, 24-100 Puławy, Poland.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Żmudzki
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology and Pharmacology, National Veterinary Research Institute, Aleja Partyzantów 57, 24-100 Puławy, Poland.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Posyniak
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002104:Cadmium / Q000032:analysis; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003300:Copper / Q000032:analysis; D003670:Deer; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D005819:Genetic Markers; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis*; D011044:Poland; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic; D015032:Zinc / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D005819:Genetic Markers; D007220:Industrial Waste; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D002104:Cadmium; D007854:Lead; D003300:Copper; D008668:Metallothionein; D015032:Zinc
keywords: Cadmium; Copper; Lead; Metallothionein; Red deer; Zinc