镉致黑斑蛙肝脏氧化损伤与金属硫蛋白含量的变化

为观察镉对黑斑蛙(Rana nigromaculata)肝脏脂质过氧化产物和金属硫蛋白含量的影响,将黑斑蛙暴露于10.0mg·mL-1浓度的镉溶液中30d,分别测定了黑斑蛙在暴露4、10d和30d时肝脏组织中镉(Cd)、还原型谷胱甘肽(GSH)、金属硫蛋白(MT)和过氧化产物丙二醛(MDA)的含量。实验结果表明,黑斑蛙肝脏中镉的积累量、GSH和MT含量均随着镉暴露时间的延长而显著升高,具有明显的时间-效应关系;在镉暴露的第10天,肝MDA含量明显高于对照组。提示镉可对黑斑蛙肝脏造成氧化损伤,而GSH、MT含量的升高则可能是机体抗氧化损伤的机理之一。     

镉暴露大鼠睾丸支持细胞金属硫蛋白表达的时相研究

啮齿目动物的睾丸较肝脏对镉毒性更为敏感.为阐明不同组织细胞的镉毒性分子机制,对镉暴露大鼠睾丸支持细胞与肝脏金属硫蛋白基因(MT)的表达及镉蓄积进行了时相研究.成年雄性SD大鼠低剂量镉(4.0 μmol/kg)皮下注射后,立即进行睾丸支持细胞和肝脏组织的分离.采用RT-PCR技术分析mRNA,并用光密度扫描作半定量分析,蛋白质定量用ELISA方法,原子分光光度吸收法测定镉浓度.结果显示：镉暴露1 h后肝脏MT mRNA即有明显的诱导表达,3 h达高峰;支持细胞也有明显的诱导表达, 6 h达高峰.镉暴露后肝脏MT有明显的诱导表达,但睾丸支持细胞不但未见MT增加而且还稍有下降.提示：a.镉对MTmRNA的诱导表达具有时间依赖性和组织特异性.b.镉虽然能诱导睾丸MT的转录,但没有促进其MT的合成,这可能是睾丸对镉毒性与致癌作用较肝脏更敏感的重要原因.     

镉诱导金属硫蛋白在华溪蟹组织中的表达

采用体外暴露染毒法,研究了不同浓度与时间条件下,镉诱导河南华溪蟹(Sinopotamon henanense)金属硫蛋白(metallothionein,MT)在肝胰腺、肌肉、鳃和卵巢中的表达差异。镉浓度分别为0、14·5mg/L、29mg/L和58mg/L;处理时间依次为1d、3d和5d。利用镉血红蛋白饱和法和火焰原子吸收分光光度法(AAS)测定MT的蛋白含量。结果显示,用不同的染毒浓度和处理时间,镉在组织中诱导产生MT的含量有较大差异,其中肝胰腺MT的诱导量最大,变化规律也最明显;肌肉中也有较大量MT的表达;而鳃和卵巢MT的诱导量均较低。此外,本文分析了镉的浓度与时间梯度对诱导MT表达的影响与毒性效应机制。结论:组织不同,染毒浓度及时间不同,镉诱导MT的表达也不同,具有一定的组织差异性和规律性。     

金属硫蛋白—3研究进展

金属硫蛋白－3（MT－3）是近年来发现的一种脑特异性金属硫蛋白。本文综述了其在分布、蛋白结构及基因调控方面的特点;着重介绍了其在中枢神经系统中的功能及结构与功能关系的研究进展;总结了国外对其与老年痴呆症的可能关系的研究。     

镉对黑斑蛙精巢组织结构的毒性效应

为了研究镉对两栖动物精巢组织结构的影响,用不同浓度Cd2 溶液对黑斑蛙(Rana nigromaculata)成体隔日皮下注射染毒,光镜下观察精巢组织的显微结构变化。结果表明,镉具有毒性效应,可以导致处理后的黑斑蛙精巢组织中的各级生精细胞、支持细胞和间质细胞受到损伤。对处理组和对照组的精巢组织分别用金属硫蛋白(MT)进行免疫组化定位观察,MT阳性颗粒在处理组和对照组均有表达,表达随处理组镉浓度的增大而减弱。     

镉中毒大鼠睾丸与肝脏金属硫蛋白表达的时相研究

啮齿目动物睾丸对镉毒性较肝脏更敏感.为阐明睾丸的镉毒性分子机制,比较了肝脏与睾丸金属硫蛋白（MT）表达的时相变化.mRNA采用RT-PCR技术分析并用光密度扫描定量;蛋白质定量用ELISA方法.结果显示,睾丸中存在MT,镉中毒后MT1与MT2 mRNA明显升高,但MT没有相应增加;肝脏镉中毒后MTmRNA与MT均明显升高.结果提示：镉虽然能诱导睾丸MTmRNA的转录,但没有促进其MT的合成,这可能是睾丸对镉毒性与致癌作用较肝脏更敏感的重要原因.     

柱状田头菇（茶薪菇）金属硫蛋白的分离纯化与特性研究

应用快速灌注色谱系统首次从经Cd^2 诱导的柱状田头菇(茶薪菇)Agrocybe Cylindracea(DC.:Fr:)R.Maoire菌丝体中分离得到一种镉结合蛋白。通过Sephadex G-75凝胶过滤层析,原子吸收光谱分析(AAS),巯基含量测定及紫外吸收光谱分析表明这种镉结合蛋白具有金属硫蛋白(metallothionein,MT)的理化性质：即分子量为6kDa、每分子MT含18个半胱氨酸残基并结合7个镉原子、具有镉硫金属簇的特征紫外吸收光谱,初步鉴定为茶薪菇Cd—MT。     

甘蔗金属硫蛋白基因(ScMT2-1-4)的克隆及表达分析

从甘蔗热带种Badila(Saccharum officinarum L.)中克隆获得1个2型金属硫蛋白基因的c DNA序列,命名为Sc MT2-1-4(Gen Bank登录号:KJ504375)。生物信息学分析显示,Sc MT2-1-4基因c DNA长459 bp,开放读码框为243 bp,编码80个氨基酸,富含14个半胱氨酸残基。推导的Sc MT2-1-4蛋白为亲水性蛋白,分子量为7.82 k D,等电点为5.59,该蛋白的二级结构由无规则卷曲和延伸链构成。实时荧光定量PCR检测结果显示,Sc MT2-1-4基因是重金属胁迫的快速响应基因,其对Cu2+、Zn2+和Cd2+胁迫的应答模式提示了:甘蔗不同组织中Sc MT2-1-4对Cu2+胁迫应答的分功不同;Sc MT2-1-4对甘蔗抵御Zn2+胁迫起积极的作用;但该基因不直接参与甘蔗对Cd2+的螯合和解毒的过程。研究结果有助于进一步深入探究MT2基因在甘蔗应答重金属胁迫过程中的作用,为阐明甘蔗富集和耐受重金属的分子机制研究奠定基础。     

柱状田头菇(茶薪菇)金属硫蛋白的分离纯化与特性研究

应用快速灌注色谱系统首次从经Cd2+诱导的柱状田头菇(茶薪菇)Agrocybecylindracea(DC.:Fr:)R.Maoire菌丝体中分离得到一种镉结合蛋白。通过SephadexG-75凝胶过滤层析,原子吸收光谱分析(AAS),巯基含量测定及紫外吸收光谱分析表明这种镉结合蛋白具有金属硫蛋白(metallothionein,MT)的理化性质:即分子量为6kDa、每分子MT含18个半胱氨酸残基并结合7个镉原子、具有镉硫金属簇的特征紫外吸收光谱,初步鉴定为茶薪菇Cd-MT。     

人生长激素基因在哺乳动物培养细胞中的导入与表达

将小鼠金属硫蛋白I(MT—I)启动子置换人生长激素(hGH)基因的启动子,构建成MT—hGH嵌合基因。当与疱疹病毒胸腺嘧啶核苷激酶基因(tk)的质粒共转染小鼠L—tk-细胞,在tk⁺转化细胞中所整合的MT-hGH基因可被重金属镉诱导。获得可表达和分泌hGH的细胞株,其中一株hGH的产率为2．5μg／10⁶细胞／24h．所产生的hGH分子量为22000道尔顿,表明小鼠L一tk+细胞株能对外源hGH基因所产生的mRNA进行正确的加工并能删除激素原的信号肽。     

Allelopathy of diterpenoids on three species of soil ciliates

Allelopathy of diterpenoids extracted from plants of the genus Robdosia on three common species of soil ciliates, Colpoda inflata, Colpoda cucullus and Euplotes muscicola, was studied by acute toxicity test, sub-lethal effect test and morphological observation. Acute toxicity test showed that there was remarkable toxicity of the diterpenoids on the individuals of the three soil ciliate species, and there was close correlation between toxicity and concentration of the diterpenoids. 12 h-LC₅₀ values of the diterpenoids on the individuals of C. inflata, C. cucullus and E. muscicola were 161.40 mg L^?1, 94.80 mg L^?1 and 83.70 mg L^?1 respectively, and 24 h-LC₅₀ values were 114.90 mg L^?1, 92.30 mg L^?1and 65.80 mg L^?1 separately. Sub-lethal effect test of soil ciliates suggested that there existed significant inhibition of the diterpenoids on population growth of the three ciliates with dose-dependant relationships, population density and growth rate of the test group was obviously lower than that of the control group. Morphological observation indicated that diterpenoids affected the body shapes of the three ciliates and made them shorter and thicker, and the higher the concentration of diterpenoids, the greater the affection. The results are of great significance for understanding the functions of ciliates and their relationships to other organisms, and for the application of allelopathy in biological pest control in the soil ecosystems.     

Allelopathy of diterpenoids on three species of soil ciliates

Allelopathy of diterpenoids extracted from plants of the genus Robdosia on three common species of soil ciliates, Colpoda inflata, Colpoda cucullus and Euplotes muscicola, was studied by acute toxicity test, sub-lethal effect test and morphological observation. Acute toxicity test showed that there was remarkable toxicity of the diterpenoids on the individuals of the three soil ciliate species, and there was close correlation between toxicity and concentration of the diterpenoids. 12 h-LC₅₀ values of the diterpenoids on the individuals of C. inflata, C. cucullus and E. muscicola were 161.40 mg L^?1, 94.80 mg L^?1 and 83.70 mg L^?1 respectively, and 24 h-LC₅₀ values were 114.90 mg L^?1, 92.30 mg L^?1and 65.80 mg L^?1 separately. Sub-lethal effect test of soil ciliates suggested that there existed significant inhibition of the diterpenoids on population growth of the three ciliates with dose-dependant relationships, population density and growth rate of the test group was obviously lower than that of the control group. Morphological observation indicated that diterpenoids affected the body shapes of the three ciliates and made them shorter and thicker, and the higher the concentration of diterpenoids, the greater the affection. The results are of great significance for understanding the functions of ciliates and their relationships to other organisms, and for the application of allelopathy in biological pest control in the soil ecosystems.     

斧文蛤金属硫蛋白基因的克隆与表达分析

金属硫蛋白（Metallothionein,MT）是一类富含半胱氨酸的小分子蛋白质,参与机体重金属解毒、维持金属元素代谢平衡以及清除自由基等生理功能。为了解斧文蛤金属硫蛋白（Ml-MT）的分子生物学特征及其在重金属Cd2+胁迫下的响应机制,本文采用RACE技术从斧文蛤（Meretrix lamarckii）总RNA反转录产物中获得了636 bp的Ml-MT cDNA基因序列。该序列包含65 bp的5非编码区（UTR）和340 bp的3非编码区（UTR）以及231 bp的开放阅读框（ORF）,可编码76个氨基酸;其中半胱氨酸占27%,不含芳香族氨基酸,含16个MT所特有的Cys-Xn-Cys结构,预测的分子量约为7.704 kD,理论等电点7.138。MT氨基酸序列比对分析表明:斧文蛤金属硫蛋白（Ml-MT）与丽文蛤（Meretrix lusoria）的相似性高达88%,与文蛤（Meretrix meretrix）的同源性为87%。实时荧光定量（qRT-PCR）检测MT在斧文蛤5种组织中均有表达,但存在组织特异性,其中内脏团表达量最高,其次依次为鳃丝、闭壳肌、外套膜、斧足。在Cd2+（0.13 mg/L）胁迫0、6h、12h、24h、48h、72h和96h下,斧文蛤内脏团MT呈现出不同程度的上调表达,具体表现为高-低-高-低的波浪式变化,除6h以外,其他时间点均与对照组存在极显著差异（P0.01）。本研究表明:MT基因在维护机体正常生理功能及斧文蛤抵御重金属Cd2+胁迫过程中发挥着重要的分子调控作用。     

Inhibitory mechanisms of metallothionein on platelet aggregation in in vitro and platelet plug formation in in vivo experiments

Metallothionein (MT) is a low-molecular-weight, cysteine-rich protein that contains heavy metals such as cadmium and zinc. The biological function of MT in platelets is not yet understood. Therefore, the aim of this study was to systematically examine the inhibitory mechanisms of metallothionein in platelet aggregation. In this study, metallothionein concentration-dependently (1-8 microM) inhibited platelet aggregation in human platelets stimulated by agonists. Metallothionein (4 and 8 microM) inhibited phosphoinositide breakdown in [3H]-inositol-labeled platelets, intracellular Ca+2 mobilization in Fura-2 AM-loaded platelets, and thromboxane A2 formation stimulated by collagen. In addition, metallothionein (4 and 8 microM) significantly increased the formation of cyclic GMP but not cyclic AMP in human platelets. Rapid phosphorylation of a protein of Mr 47,000 (P47), a marker of protein kinase C activation, was triggered by PDBu (100 nM). This phosphorylation was markedly inhibited by metallothionein (4 and 8 microM) in phosphorus-32-labeled platelets. In an in vivo thrombotic study, platelet thrombus formation was induced by irradiation of mesenteric venules in mice pretreated with fluorescein sodium. Metallothionein (6 microg/g) significantly prolonged the latency period for inducing platelet plug formation in mesenteric venules. These results indicate that the antiplatelet activity of metallothionein may involve the following pathways: (1) metallothionein may inhibit the activation of phospholipase C, followed by inhibition of phosphoinositide breakdown and thromboxane A2 formation, thereby leading to inhibition of intracellular Ca+2 mobilization; (ii) Metallothionein also activated the formation of cyclic GMP in human platelets, resulting in inhibition of platelet aggregation. The results strongly indicate that metallothionein provides protection against thromboembolism.     

Phylogenetic relationships of Blepharisma americanum and Colpoda inflata within the phylum ciliophora inferred from complete small subunit rRNA gene sequences

The complete small subunit rRNA gene sequences of the heterotrich Blepharisma americanum and the colpodid Colpoda inflata were determined to be 1719 and 1786 nucleotides respectively. The phylogeny produced by comparisons with other ciliates indicated that C. inflata is allied more closely with the nassophoreans and oligohymenophoreans than the spirotrichs. This is consistent with the placement of the colpodids in the Class Copodea. Blepharisma americanum was not grouped with the hypotrichs but instead was placed as the earliest branching ciliate. The distinct separation of B. americanum supports the elevation to class status given the heterotrichs based on morphological characters.     

Uptake of cadmium is diminished in transfected mouse NIH/3T3 cells enriched for metallothionein.

To determine the relationship between cellular uptake of cadmium and content of metallothionein, we measured uptake of 109Cd in cells that differed in content of metallothionein (MT). MT cells were derived from NIH/3T3 cells by transfection with a plasmid containing the genome of bovine papilloma virus and the mouse metallothionein-I gene, driven by the promotor for the glucose-regulated protein of 78 kDa. Control cells were similarly transfected with bovine papilloma virus-based plasmids with the gene for metallothionein inverted and thus separated from the promoter (TM), or deleted, along with the promoter (BPA). The number of copies of bovine papilloma virus-based plasmids was similar in MT, TM, and BPA cells, approximately 100 per cell. MT cells were more than 10 times more resistant to the lethal effect of cadmium than were the control cells. Synthesis of metallothionein was 15-fold greater in the MT cells than in the TM or BPA cells. The uptake of 109Cd by the cells enriched in metallothionein was 4-fold less than by the control cells. These data suggest that an increased content of metallothionein may protect some cells from the toxic effects of cadmium, in part, by diminishing uptake of the metal.     

Toxicological aspects of metallothionein.

Metallothionein (MT) is expressed to a certain extent in almost all mammalian tissues. The biological significance of MT is related to its various forms MT-1, MT-2, MT-3 and MT4. For MT-1 several isoforms of the protein exist and it is likely that these isoforms are related to various functions involved in developmental processes occurring at various stages of gestation. Toxicokinetics and biochemistry of essential and toxic metals such as cadmium, zinc, mercury and copper in organs e.g. kidney, CNS, are often related to metallothionein. It is debated whether there is a relation or not for other metals e.g. selenium and bismuth. For the toxicokinetics of cadmium, MT plays an important role. By expanding techniques from experimental toxicology and biochemistry to include molecular biology methods, more specific and relevant studies can be performed of the actual role and biological function of MT. The present paper on toxicological aspects of metallothionein, presents an overview and evaluation of present knowledge concerning differences among organs and within organs of the expression of MT and how this affects tissue sensitivity to toxicity.