Effects of metallothionein on zinc metabolism in lethal-milk mutant mice

Thesis/Dissertation · Tue Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:5511913

Grider, A Jr

The lethal-milk mice (C57BL/6J-Im) exhibit various pleiotropic effects, including a congenital otolith defect, production of zinc-deficient milk, and clinical signs of a systemic Zn deficiency by one year of age. The clinical signs include alopecia, dermatitis, and skin lesions. The systemic zinc deficiency may be due to increased levels of metallothionein (MT) in the intestine and/or liver of Im mice. The untreated Im mice contain twice as much intestinal MT as do C57BL/6J-(+/sup im//+ /sup Im/) (B6) controls. This was determined by a sulfhydryl assay, by the /sup 109/Cd-saturation/hemolysate method, and by the /sup 65/Zn-binding assay. Various concentrations of Cd or Zn were added to the drinking water three days before assaying for MT. Compared to B6 mice, the Im mice exhibited more MT in their liver by the /sup 65/Zn-MT binding assay (3-fold) and by the /sup 109/Cd-saturation/hemolysate method (18-fold). The effects of the two zinc treatments did not differ significantly between Im and B6 mice. The retention and excretion of /sup 65/Zn (administered intraperitoneally) were determined over a 14-day period, but the results did not different between the Im and B6 mice. The increased concentrations of MT within the Im mice was not significantly different for the intestine and liver. Based on these data and other studies, the Im mice may exhibit alterations in zinc homeostasis due to some deregulation of MT metabolism, including the inner ear of the fetus, the lactating mammary gland, and the intestine and liver of adults by one year of age.

• Research Organization: Cincinnati Univ., OH (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5511913
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550601* -- Medicine-- Unsealed Radionuclides in Diagnostics
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ANIMALS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-PLUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BODY
CADMIUM 109
CADMIUM ISOTOPES
CLEARANCE
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DERMATITIS
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
DISEASES
DRINKING WATER
ELECTRON CAPTURE RADIOISOTOPES
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
EXCRETION
GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT
GLANDS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
INTESTINES
ISOTOPES
LIVER
MAMMALS
METABOLISM
METALLOPROTEINS
METALLOTHIONEIN
MICE
NUCLEI
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PROTEINS
RADIOASSAY
RADIOISOTOPES
RODENTS
SKIN
SKIN DISEASES
VERTEBRATES
WATER
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
ZINC 65
ZINC COMPOUNDS
ZINC ISOTOPES