Isolation and partial characterization of native metallothionein in fetal rabbit liver
The endogenous zinc content of hepatic cytosol in the term fetal rabbit was found to be three-fold higher than corresponding maternal levels. Following gel-filtration, the bulk of this zinc was found to be associated with a peak, not detectable in the maternal cytosol, having a relative elution volum similar to that of cadmium-induced metallothionein. In vitro addition of increasing amounts of cadmium to the fetal cytosol prior to gel-filtration caused progressive displacement of endogenous zinc from the peak, selective cadmium binding and eventual cadmium saturation. An ion-exchange chromatography disclosed two distinct peaks, corresponding to the two cadmium-containing peaks detected in the cytosol from cadmium-induced animals. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of purified protein also revealed the existence of two bands in both the fetus and induced adult. Results indicate the presence of endogenous metallothioneins in the hepatic cytosol of the normal term rabbit fetus which are similar to the metallothioneins which appear in the adult hepatic cytosol following exposure to cadmium.
- Research Organization:
- West Virginia Univ. Medical Center, Morgantown
- OSTI ID:
- 5193219
- Journal Information:
- Life Sci.; (United States), Journal Name: Life Sci.; (United States) Vol. 27:7; ISSN LIFSA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
560305* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Vertebrates-- (-1987)
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ADULTS
ANIMALS
BIOCHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BODY
CADMIUM
CHEMICAL PREPARATION
CHROMATOGRAPHY
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
ELECTROPHORESIS
ELEMENTS
FETUSES
GLANDS
IN VITRO
ION EXCHANGE CHROMATOGRAPHY
KINETICS
LIVER
MAMMALS
METABOLISM
METALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PROTEINS
RABBITS
REACTION KINETICS
SENSITIVITY
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SYNTHESIS
TISSUE CULTURES
TOXICITY
VERTEBRATES
ZINC