In vivo and ex vivo effects of copper on rat liver metallothionein

Journal Article · Tue Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1981 · Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.3181/00379727-168-41277· OSTI ID:5637195

Day, F A; Panemangalore, M; Brady, F O

In order to test the hypothesis that exogenous copper could displace endogenous zinc from metallothionein under in vivo and ex vivo conditions, a series of zinc-copper competition experiments were conducted with rat liver. Intraperitoneal injection of zinc alone resulted in a large increase in zinc and a small increase in copper associated with hepatic metallothionein 24 hr later, as compared to controls. Intraperitoneal injection with copper alone resulted in increases in both zinc and copper bound to metallothionein 6 hr later. Intraperitoneal injection of zinc at time zero and copper at 18 hr, followed by killing at 24 hr, resulted in no increase in zinc, but a significant increase in copper, bound to metallothionein. Exposure of rat livers to copper ex vivo in an isolated perfusion apparatus gave different results from the in vivo experiments in regards to the metal composition of metallothionein. Animals were injected i.p. with zinc at time zero, and their livers were removed at 18 hr for a 2-hr perfusion. The zinc and copper contents of metallothionein in the groups receiving zinc in vivo and then either killed or perfused without additional metal were the same. The group which received zinc in vivo and copper ex vivo showed a large decrease in its metallothionein zinc content, a decrease which was matched almost exactly by a large increase in its metallothionein copper content. These results are consistent with the above-mentioned hypothesis and with recent in vitro results demonstrating the ability of copper to displace zinc from metallothionein.

• Research Organization: Univ. of South Dakota, Vermillion
• OSTI ID: 5637195
• Journal Information: Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med.; (United States), Vol. 168:3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
COPPER
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
UPTAKE
ZINC
COMPETITION
LIVER
METALLOTHIONEIN
RATS
ANIMALS
BODY
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
ELEMENTS
GLANDS
MAMMALS
METALLOPROTEINS
METALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PROTEINS
RODENTS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
VERTEBRATES
560305* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Vertebrates- (-1987)