Metallothionein separation and analysis by reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography coupled with graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

Abstract

The feasibility of using reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) for the separation of metallothioneins (MTs) and subsequent determination of cadmium in MTs by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) in rabbit kidney and liver has been studied. RP-HPLC was used to isolate, characterise and quantitate liver and kidney MT isoforms. The MTs were eluted from a radially compressed C18 column with a neutral sodium phosphate buffer and detected by UV absorbance at 254 nm. Rabbit liver MTs was found to be comprised of seven distinct isoforms with five of which were found to be subspecies of the MT-I isoform. Rabbit kidney MTs exhibited only two predominant isoforms. A standard calibration curve was constructed using purified rabbit kidney MT-I and MT-II which demonstrated excellent linear correlation between peak height and the quantity of MT injected into the column. Recovery of MT from RP-HPLC was found to exceed 90%. Kidney and liver tissues from rabbit by feeding low levels of cadmium in diets was assayed using the RP-HPLC analysis of cytosol samples. Feeding stable cadmium in the diet resulted in the deposition of MT in the kidney rather than in the liver. The cadmium content in MT isoforms was determined by GFAAS. Less than 10% of the total cadmium in kidney was associated with MTs.     

Purification and properties of plaice metallothionein, a cadmium-binding protein from the liver of the plaice (Pleuronectes platessa).

A low-molecular-weight protein induced in the liver of the plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) by exposure to cadmium was purified and characterized. It is closely similar to mammalian metallothioneins in all of its properties in that it is a single-chain cadmium-binding protein of approx. 7000 mol.wt. with a high cysteine content (31 mol%) and no aromatic amino acid residues. The thiol groups of the cysteine residues complex with the cadmium in a SH/Cd molar ratio of 3:1 and produce a characteristic absorption maximum at 250 nm. Unlike the mammalian metallothioneins, however, metal analyses reveal only traces of zinc and copper in addition to cadmium. The presence of carbohydrate previously assumed from a positive reaction with periodic acid/Schiff reagent has now been disproved, and the positive reaction attributed to interaction with the thiol groups in the protein.     

Purification and characterization of recombinant Caenorhabditis elegans metallothionein

The roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans adapted for survival at high concentrations of Cd(II) expresses two isoforms of metallothionein, CeMT-I and CeMT-II. To characterize one of these proteins CeMT-II was prepared as its Cd containing form by expressing its cDNA heterologously in Escherichia coli. The purified 63-amino-acid protein was identified as the desired product by ion-spray mass spectrometry and was found to resemble in most of its chemical and spectroscopic features the metallothioneins of other animal phyla. The recombinant protein contains a total of 18 cysteine residues and, as documented by electrophoresis and mass spectrometry, binds firmly six Cd ions through the cysteine's side chains. The (113)Cd NMR spectrum features six (113)Cd resonances. Their chemical shift positions between 615 and 675 ppm denote the existence of clusters of tetrahedrally coordinated cadmium thiolate complexes. The metal thiolate coordination dominates also the electronic far-UV absorption spectrum. It is characterized by a massive absorption profile with Cd thiolate shoulders at 255 and 235 nm. Upon replacement of Cd by Zn the profile was blue-shifted by 30 nm.     

Cytochrome P-450 isozymes from the marine teleost Stenotomus chrysops: their roles in steroid hydroxylation and the influence of cytochrome b5

Two new cytochrome P-450 forms were purified from liver microsomes of the marine fish Stenotomus chrysops (scup). Cytochrome P-450A (Mr = 52.5K) had a CO-ligated, reduced difference spectrum lambda max at 447.5 nm, and reconstituted modest benzo[a]pyrene hydroxylase activity (0.16 nmol/min/nmol P-450) and ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase activity (0.42 nmol/min/nmol P-450). Cytochrome P-450A reconstituted under optimal conditions catalyzed hydroxylation of testosterone almost exclusively at the 6 beta position (0.8 nmol/min/nmol P-450) and also catalyzed 2-hydroxylation of estradiol. Cytochrome P-450A is active toward steroid substrates and we propose that it is a major contributor to microsomal testosterone 6 beta-hydroxylase activity. Cytochrome P-450A had a requirement for conspecific (scup) NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase and all reconstituted activities examined were stimulated by the addition of purified scup cytochrome b5. Cytochrome P-450B (Mr = 45.9K) had a CO-ligated, reduced difference spectrum lambda max at 449.5 nm and displayed low rates of reconstituted catalytic activities. However, cytochrome P-450B oxidized testosterone at several different sites including the 15 alpha position (0.07 nmol/min/nmol P-450). Both cytochromes P-450A and P-450B were distinct from the major benzo[a]pyrene hydroxylating form, cytochrome P-450E, by the criteria of spectroscopic properties, substrate profiles, minimum molecular weights on NaDodSO4-polyacrylamide gels, peptide mapping and lack of cross-reaction with antibody raised against cytochrome P-450E. Cytochrome P-450E shares epitopes with rat cytochrome P-450c indicating it is the equivalent enzyme, but possible homology between scup cytochromes P-450A or P-450B and known P-450 isozymes in other vertebrate groups is uncertain, although functional analogs exist.     

Metal-binding capacity of metallothioneins of the liver of rats poisoned with heavy metals

The functioning of metallothioneins in the liver of rats, poisoned with copper sulfate and cadmium sulfate has been investigated. By sequential chromatography on sephadex G-50 and DEAE-cellulose the authors obtained metallothioneins (MT-1, MT-1A, MT-2, MT-2a), which differ in molecular weight and composition of associated metals. Heavy metal poisoning leads to activation of synthesis and metal-binding function of metallothioneins, as well as to changes in the composition of their isoforms.     

兔肝金属硫蛋白结合铅离子的圆二色性光谱研究

从锌诱导的家兔肝脏中分离纯化得到金属硫蛋白两种亚型：ＺｎＭＴ－Ⅰ和ＺｎＭＴ－Ⅱ．在酸性条件下脱金属,经Ｓｅｐｈａｄｅｘ Ｇ－２５柱层析得到脱金属硫蛋白（ａｐｏＭＴｓ）．用圆二色性（ＣＤ）光谱法研究,发现两种亚型ａｐｏＭＴｓ 与Ｐｂ２＋ 的结合依赖于Ｐｂ２＋ 的加入比例及ｐＨ 值．ａｐｏＭＴ－Ⅰ在ｐＨ３～５之间,ａｐｏＭＴ－Ⅱ在ｐＨ４～６之间与Ｐｂ２＋ 结合形成特征簇合物Ｐｂ７ＭＴｓ,其ＣＤ谱图特征峰位于３１６ｎｍ （－ ）,２７０ ｎｍ （＋ ）,２４５ ｎｍ （＋ ）及２２５ ｎｍ （－ ）,提示解铅中毒的最佳条件应控制在弱酸性环境．不同亚型ａｐｏＭＴｓ 与Ｐｂ２＋ 的结合方式各不相同：Ｐｂ２＋ 与ａｐｏＭＴ－Ⅰ的结合采取平均分配的方式,而与ａｐｏＭＴ－Ⅱ则为选择性结合方式,表明这两种亚型在解铅毒功能上存在差异．     

Canine hepatic lysosomal copper protein: identification as metallothionein

We studied the amino acid sequence of canine hepatic lysosomal copper protein obtained from Bedlington terriers affected by inherited copper toxicosis. The primary structure was determined by manual Edman degradations and carboxypeptidase Y digestions of peptides generated by cleavage of the S-carboxyamidomethylated and S-aminoethylated protein with trypsin. Although the amino terminus was blocked and heterogeneous, the protein showed extensive sequence homology to mammalian metallothioneins. In particular, all cysteinyl residues were conserved, in agreement with their function as metal ligands. The microheterogeneity observed in the amino-terminal part of the molecule indicated the presence of two isoforms in canine liver like those found in most other mammals studied so far.     

Relative cadmium-binding capacity of metallothionein and other cytosolic fractions in various tissues of the rat.

The Cd-binding capacity of soluble proteins in 10 tissues of normal rats not excessively exposed to heavy metals was measured by saturation of freshly isolated cytosol with 109CdCl2 in vitro followed by Sephadex G-75 chromatography. The Cd-binding capacity of a 10,000 molecular weight Cd-binding peak (10,000 MW Cd-BP), which had a high affinity for Cd and was probably metallothionein, was the highest in kidney (78nmol Cd/g fresh tissue), followed by testis (63 nmol/g), liver (38 nmol/g) and then by brain (14 nmol/g). The amount of the Cd-BP in these tissues (assuming that it was metallothionein and bound 9 mol Cd/10,000g) was calculated to be 87, 70, 42 and 16 mg/kg fresh tissue in kidney, testis, liver and brain, respectively, or in the order of 10(-5) to 10(-6) mol/kg tissue. A significant amount of the 10,000 MW Cd-BP was also found in small intestine. It was present in rather small amounts in heart and lung, and possibly in spleen and skeletal muscle as well. In contrast, the protein was not detectable by this technique in plasma. The results suggest that metallothionein is a rather ubiquitous, intracellular protein in tissues of normal animals and may have other biological functions, besides its possible fortuitous role in heavy metal detoxification. A 30,000 molecular weight Cd-binding peak (30,000 MW Cd-BP) having a very high affinity Cd, apparently higher than that of the 10,000 MW Cd-BP, was found only in testes, among the 10 tissues examined. Its estimated Cd-binding capacity was 51 nmol Cd/g of testis, slightly less than that of metallothionein in testis. These findings support the hypothesis that the 30,000 MW Cd-BP is a plausible target of Cd in Cd-induced testicular injury, and suggest a basis for the peculiar sensitivity of the rat testis to Cd.     

Turnover of metallothioneins in rat liver.

Two electrophoretically distinguishable metallothioneins were isolated from the livers of Cd2+-treated rats and had thiol group/metal ratios of 3:1, a total metal content, in each of these proteins, of 3.6 atoms of Cd2+ + 2.4 atoms of Zn2+/molecule and 4.2 atoms of Cd2+ + 2.8 atoms of Zn2+/molecule and respective apoprotein mol.wts. of 5844 and 6251. Studies with 1 h pulse labels of [3H]cysteine, given after a single injection of ZnCl2 or CdCl2, showed that these metals stimulated radioactive isotope incorporation into the metallothioneins over the control value by 10- and 15-fold respectively. This stimulation was maximal at 4 h after a single CdCl2 injection and decreased to control values by 16 h, suggesting that either a translational event is responding to free intracellular Cd2+ or a short-lived mRNA is being produced or stabilized in response to the metal treatment. In rats chronically exposed to CdCl2, the metallothioneins increased to 0.2% of the liver wet weight from a control value of 2--4 mumol/kg of liver, with a maximum rate of accumulation of 2--3 mumol/h per kg of liver. The turnover of these proteins in control animals was 0.3--0.6 mumoles/h per kg of liver, measured by the rate of disappearance of 203Hg2+, which binds irreversibly to the metallothioneins. Pretreatment with CdCl2 completely stopped the rapid 203Hg turnover observed in untreated animals. Unlike CdCl2, treatment with ZnCl2 increased the concentration of metallothioneins to a new steady-state pool, 11 mumole/kg of liver, after 10 h. The increase in the zinc-thionein pool by exposure to ZnCl2 in vivo was determined to be primarily due to a stimulation of metallothionein biosynthesis.     

Nitrogenase from Azotobacter chroococcum. Purification and properties of the component proteins.

1. A large-scale purification of the nitrogenase components from Azotobacter chroococcum yielded two non-haem iron proteins, both of which were necessary for nitrogenase activity and each had a specific activity of approximately 2000 +/- 300 nmol of acetylene reduced/mg protein per min in the presence of sautrating amounts of the other. This procedure freed the Mo-Fe protein from a protein contaminant which had an electron paramagnetic resonance signal at g = 1.94. 2. Both proteins were purified to homogeneity as determined by disc gel electrophoresis and ultracentrifugal analysis. Both proteins were oxygen-sensitive but not cold-labile. Ultracentrifugal analysis indicated that both proteins dissociated to a slight degree at concentrations below 2 mg/ml. 3. The larger of the two proteins had a molecular weight of 227 000 and contained 1.9 +/- 0.3 atoms of Mo, 23 +/- 2 atoms of Fe, 20 +/- 2 acid-labile sulphide and 47 tryptophan residues/mol. The protein consists of 4 subunits of mol. wt 60 000 (approx.). The reduced protein showed electron paramagmetic resonance signals at g = 4.29, 3.65 and 2.013 but not in the area of g = 5 to 6. Upon oxidation abosrbance increased throughout the visible region of the ultraviolet visible spectrum, with a maximum difference between oxidised and reduced protein occurring at 430 nm. 4. The smaller protein had a molecular weight of 64 000 and contained 4 g-atoms of Fe and 4 acid-labile sulphide groups/mol but no tryptophan. It had two subunits of mol. wt 30 800. The reduced protein showed electron paramagnetic resonance signhe protein retained almost full activity after oxidation with phenazine methosulphate. The ultraviolet visible spectrum of oxidised protein was clearly different from that of the oxygen-inactivated protein: it had a sharp peak at 269 nm and a broad absorbance between 340 and 470 nm with a maximum difference between oxidised and reduced forms at 430 nm. Oxygen-inactivated protein showed a sharp peak at 277.5 nm and broad peaks from 305 to 360, 400 to 425 and 435 to 475 nm. 5. Amino acid analyses of both proteins showed that most common amino acids were present with a preponderance of acidic residues. Analyses of compositional relatedness showed that the nitrogenase proteins from A. chroococcum were most closely related to those from A. vinelandii and least so to those from Clostridium pasteurianum.     

Purification and biochemical characterization of a cadmium metallothionein from the digestive gland of the Antarctic scallop Adamussium colbecki (Smith, 1902)

A cadmium-binding protein was purified from the digestive gland of the Antarctic scallop, Adamussium colbecki, and biochemically characterized. Purification procedures included gel permeation and anion exchange chromatography, followed by preparative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Our results demonstrate that the A. colbecki cadmium-binding protein has the general properties of metallothioneins: low molecular weight of about 10 kDa, spectroscopic features typical of cadmium thiolate clusters and high metal (cadmium) content. Analysis of amino acid composition reveals the absence of aromatic amino acids, histidine, methionine and arginine. Asparagine and glutamine are also absent. The A. colbecki metallothionein shows high levels of glycine (14%), aspartic acid (14%), glutamic acid (11%) and a low lysine content (4%); the A. colbecki metallothionein shows a lower cysteine content (12%) compared to other metallothioneins (17–30%) purified from both vertebrate and invertebrate organisms. The presence of a metallothionein in the digestive gland of A. colbecki suggests that in cold-ocean-adapted molluscs the heavy metal homeostasis mechanisms may have evolved similarly to those of organisms living in temperate marine environments, although the A. colbecki cadmium-binding protein shows a typical amino acidic composition that might reflect a peculiar physiological role. Accepted: 7 August 2000     

Multiple isoforms of metallothionein are expressed in the porcine liver

Isogenes are highly homologous to each other and are often difficult to ascertain, as has been the case with metallothionein, a metal-binding protein rich in cysteines. Conventional separation of metallothionein isoforms relied on ion exchange chromatography of the proteins, or screening for the sequences from gene libraries. In this study, a combination of RT–PCR and partial protein sequencing is used in the identification of metallothionein isogenes expressed in porcine liver. By this approach, we have identified expressed coding sequences which constitute 10 new isogenes. Of the four known groups of metallothioneins (MT), phylogenetic analyses place these pig isogenes in the MT-1 group, except two which are identified as being closely related to MT-2, and none in groups 3 and 4. The isogenes are thus named pMT-1a to -1g, and pMT-2a and -2b. While each of the isogene sequences is unique, two isogenes, pMT-1e1 and pMT-1e2, share an identical amino acid sequence, differing only in specific codons. Two others, pMT-1b and pMT-1g, have a cysteine substituted by arginine, the first such sequence ever detected in MT. pMT-2a and pMT-2b are closely aligned with the MT-2 group of vertebrates, in spite of the absence of a characteristic acidic amino acid at position 10 or 11, common in other mammalian metallothioneins.     

Isolation of a copper complex and its rate of appearance in roots of Mimulus guttatus

A Cu-complex was isolated from the roots of copper-tolerant Mimulus guttatus. The elution volume of the complex determined by gel permeation chromatography was similar to that of rat-liver cadmium thionein. The complex was heat stable, had a relatively high ratio of absorbance at 254 nm: 280 nm and incorporated ³⁵S. The complex, purified using a combination of gel permeation chromatography and anion-exchange chromatography, contained more glutamine/glutamic acid and glycine residues than mammalian metallothioneins. The amount of the complex in roots increased after 5 h growth in a solution containing 16 M Cu. Induction was preceded by an increase in the concentrations in root tissue of unknown compounds containing sulphur which may serve as precursors. The availability of these compounds appeared to regulate the rate of synthesis of this Cu-complex.Abbreviations CuBP copper-binding protein - HPLC highperformance liquid chromatography - MT metallothionein - Th thionein - Tris 2-amino-2-(hydroxymethyl)1-3-propanediol     

人神经生长抑制因子β结构域的高效表达及性质研究

神经生长抑制因子（ Ｇ Ｉ Ｆ）是一种特异存在于哺乳动物脑中的金属硫蛋白（ｍ ｅｔａｌｌｏｔｈｉｏｎｅｉｎ, Ｍ Ｔ）类似物,又称 Ｍ Ｔ Ⅲ．它与 Ｍ Ｔ 有相同的结合 Ｚｎ（Ⅱ）, Ｃｄ（Ⅱ）, Ｃｕ（Ⅰ）等金属的能力,但与 Ｍ Ｔ 不同的是它能够抑制神经细胞的生长,并发现在患 Ａｌｚｈｅｉｍ ｅｒ ｄｉｓｅａｓｅ（ Ａ Ｄ 症）病人的大脑中 Ｇ Ｉ Ｆ蛋白量和ｍ Ｒ Ｎ Ａ 的量均显著下降,研究证明 Ｇ Ｉ Ｆ对神经细胞的抑制活性主要存在于其 β结构域中．为进一步研究 β结构域结构和功能的关系,将 β结构域的 ｃ Ｄ Ｎ Ａ 克隆入融合表达载体ｐ Ｇ Ｅ Ｘ ４ Ｔ １ 中, Ｉ Ｐ Ｔ Ｇ 诱导并高效表达了 β结构域蛋白,通过氨基酸组成和质谱的测定,证明得到了目的蛋白．利用金属重组的方法,分别得到了结合 Ｃｄ 和 Ｚｎ 的 Ｇ Ｉ Ｆ 的 β结构域,并测定了其巯基和金属含量对蛋白量的比值,证明所得 Ｇ Ｉ Ｆ β与 Ｍ Ｔ β在结合金属能力上十分相似．用紫外光谱学的研究表明, Ｃｄ Ｍ Ｔ 的 β结构域在２５０ ｎｍ 处比 Ｃｄ Ｇ Ｉ Ｆ 的 β结构域有一明显肩峰,从而表明二者的金属—巯基结合簇的结构有明显不同,而这种结构上的差异有可能导致二者在功能上的不同．     

Purification and characterization of cytochromes P-450 from liver microsomes of 3-methylcholanthrene-treated crab-eating monkeys

Two forms of cytochrome P-450 (P-450MC1 and P-450MC2) were purified from liver microsomes of crab-eating monkeys (Macaca irus) treated with 3-methylcholanthrene (MC). Monkey P-450MC1 preparation had a specific content of 14.0 nmol/mg protein and showed a main protein band with a minimum molecular weight of 52,000 on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Monkey P-450MC2 preparation had a specific content of 12.1 nmol/mg protein and a minimum molecular weight of 54,000. The carbon monoxide-reduced difference spectral peaks of monkey P-450MC1 and P-450MC2 were at 448 and 447 nm, respectively. In the reconstituted system, monkey P-450MC2 had high activities for benzo[a]pyrene 3-hydroxylation and 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylation. Monkey P-450MC1 had low activities toward these two substrates and a high activity for benzphetamine N-demethylation. Monkey P-450MC1 and P-450MC2 were detected by immunoblotting using an antibody prepared against rat cytochrome P-450c, which is a major form of cytochrome P-450 in liver microsomes of MC-treated rats. These results suggested that the molecular properties of cytochrome P-450 in liver microsomes of crab-eating monkeys treated with MC are similar to those in rats.     

Preparative isolation of adult human liver metallothionein isoforms

Preparative human liver metallothionein (MT) isolation is described. MT was saturated with cadmium to follow MT purification spectrophotometrically instead of by metal content and to increase the stability of the protein. A concentrated, MT-rich fraction of the liver cytosol was prepared by selective organic solvent (acetone or acetone/methanol) fractionation. Conventional gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatographies resolved two MT isoforms, MT-I and MT-II. When needed, purification of MT from other low-molecular weight proteins was further increased by gel filtration chromatography at zero ionic strength, i.e., in distilled water. Reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography of both MT isoforms resolved further peaks sharing MT properties not only from the MT-I but also from the MT-II ion-exchange isoform. The results show that it is feasible to perform a human liver MT isolation from an entire human liver with a reasonable laboratory capability.     

Identification, cloning and characterisation of a novel copper-metallothionein in tetrahymena pigmentosa. Sequencing of cDNA and expression.

The protist Tetrahymena pigmentosa accumulates large amounts of metal ions, particularly cadmium and copper. This capability is linked to the induction of metallothioneins (MTs), cysteine-rich metal-binding proteins found in protists, plants and animals. The present study focuses on a novel inducible MT-isoform isolated from Tetrahymena after exposure to a non-toxic dose of copper. The cDNA sequence was determined utilising the partial peptide sequence of purified protein. The Cu-MT cDNA encodes 96 amino acids containing 28 cysteine residues (29%) arranged in motifs characteristic of the metal-binding regions of vertebrate and invertebrate MTs. Both the amino acid and nucleotide sequences differ, not only from other animal MTs, but also from the previously characterised Tetrahymena Cd-MT. Both MTs contain the structural pattern GTXXXCKCXXCKC, which may be proposed as a conservative sequence of Tetrahymena MTs. Cu-dependent regulation of MT expression was also investigated by measuring MT-mRNA and MT levels. MT synthesis occurs very quickly and MT contents increase with Cu accumulation. The induction of Cu-MT mRNA is very rapid, with no observable lag period, and is characterised by transient fluctuation, similar to that described for Cd-MT mRNA. The data reported here indicate that, also in the unicellular organism Tetrahymena, two very different MT isoforms, which perform different biological functions, are expressed according to the inducing metal, Cu or Cd.     

Microsomal monooxygenase system in Morris hepatoma: purification and characterization of cytochromes P-450 from Morris hepatoma 5123D of 3-methylcholanthrene-treated rats

Two forms of cytochrome P-450 (hepatoma P-450MCI and P-450MCII) were purified from hepatoma 5123D microsomes of tumor-bearing rats treated with 3-methylcholanthrene. Hepatoma P-450MCI had a specific content of 18.4 nmol/mg protein and showed a main protein band with a minimum molecular weight of 56,000 on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel. Hepatoma P-450MCII had a specific content of 7.38 nmol/mg protein and a minimum molecular weight of 50,000. The carbon monoxide-reduced difference spectral peak of hepatoma P-450MCI was at 446.5 nm, whereas the peak of hepatoma P-450MCII was at 451 nm. In the reconstituted system, hepatoma P-450MCI catalyzed 3-hydroxylation of benzo[a]pyrene and O-deethylation of 7-ethoxycoumarin, but showed low activities for N-demethylation of benzphetamine and aminopyrine, O-demethylation of p-nitroanisole, and p-hydroxylation of aniline. On the other hand, hepatoma P-450MCII did not catalyze hydroxylation of any of the substrates tested. By Ouchterlony double-diffusion analysis, hepatoma P-450MCI was immunologically indistinguishable from rat liver cytochrome P-450c, but hepatoma P-450MCII was distinct from hepatoma P-450MCI and rat liver cytochrome P-450c. Peptide maps of hepatoma P-450MCI and rat liver cytochrome P-450c after proteolysis with Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease demonstrated the similarity of the two cytochromes P-450.     

Partial purification, characterization and translation in vitro of rat liver metallothionein messenger ribonucleic acid.

Poly(A)+ (polyadenylated) mRNA coding for metallothioneins was purified 13-fold from rat liver polyribosomes and was identified by its ability to direct the biosynthesis of these proteins in a wheat-germ cell-free system. The carboxymethylated products of the protein-synthesizing system in vitro were analysed with sodium dodecyl sulphate/20% polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. The labelled compounds [3H]serine and [35S]cysteine were incorporated at high specific radioactivity into proteins that co-migrated with authentic metallothioneins. No [3H]leucine incorporation was found, in agreement with the amino acid composition of the metallothioneins. Metallothionein mRNA had a sedimentation coefficient of 9 S and carried a maximum of four ribosomes. At 5 h after a subcutaneous injection of ZnCl2 or CdCl2 (10 mumol/kg body wt.), the amount of this mRNA increased approx. 2- and 4-fold respectively, on the basis of translation in vitro. The increase in metallothionein mRNA (defined by translation in the wheat-germ system) was transient and, after CdCl2 treatment, fell back to control values by 17 h. Metallothioneins constituted a maximum of 0.8% of the total protein products synthesized in the wheat-germ system by total mRNA isolated from rat liver after CdCl2 treatment.     

A sensitive high performance liquid chromatographic method for determining small amounts of glycosylproteins

We developed a simple isocratic high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for the quantitative determination of 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfuraldehyde (5-HMF) liberated by mild hydrolysis of small amounts of glycosyl proteins. The absorbance of hydrolysate components after HPLC separation was recorded at 280 nm. To detect substances possibly interfering with the 5-HMF peak we always recorded the ratio of the peak heights A280 nm/A254 nm which was a constant value of 4.4. For each sample the blank was obtained by reduction with NaBH4 before hydrolysis with oxalic acid 1 mol/l. The best NaBH4/protein ratio was found to be 4 mg/mg. With this method we measured the nonenzymatic glycosylation (glycation) as 5-HMF in samples with a protein concentration as low as 0.8 mg/ml. 5-HMF produced per milligram of protein was independent from protein concentration for a wide range (0.8-10 mg/ml). The mean coefficient of variation for within assay and between precision was 6.8 and 11.6%, respectively. The 5-HMF measured on plasma proteins from normal subjects (n = 7) was 0.16 +/- 0.04 nmol/mg. Protein from insulin-dependent diabetic patients was 0.31 +/- 0.07 nmol/mg. With this method we succeeded in detecting an excessive glycation of platelet membrane proteins in 13 type-I diabetic patients.