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Evolution of metallotionein isoforms complexes in hepatic cells of Mus musculus along cadmium exposure

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Abstract

Characterization of Cd-binding proteins has great analytical interest due to the high toxicity of Cd to living organisms. Metallothioneins (MTs), as Cd(II)-binding proteins are of increasing interest, since they form very stable Cd chelates and are involved in many detoxification processes. In this work, inductively coupled plasma octopole reaction cell mass spectrometry and nanospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry were used in parallel and combined with two-dimensional chromatography: size exclusion followed by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography, to study metal complexes of MT isoforms produced in hepatic cytosols of Mus musculus during exposure experiments to Cd. Exposure experiments were carried out by subcutaneous injection of a growing dose of the toxic element ranging from 0.1 to 1.0 mg of Cd per kg of body weight per day during 10 days. A control group and three exposure groups at days 2, 6 and 10 of exposure were studied, and different cadmium, copper and zinc complexes with MTs isoforms were isolated and characterized from the two most exposed groups. The results allow gaining insight into the mechanisms involved in metal detoxification by MTs, showing the changes in the stoichiometry of metal complexes–MTs along cadmium exposure.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Projects CTM2012-38720-C03-01 (Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad-Spain), P08-FQM-03554 and P09-FQM-04659 (Consejería de Innovación, Andalusian government). R. González-Domínguez thanks to Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación for a predoctoral grant. R. Jara-Biedma thanks to Consejería de Innovación. Junta de Andalucia for a predoctoral grant.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry and Materials Science, Faculty of Experimental Sciences, University of Huelva, Campus de El Carmenm, Fuerzas Armadas Ave., 21007, Huelva, Spain

    R. Jara-Biedma, R. González-Dominguez, T. García-Barrera & J. L. Gómez-Ariza

  2. Research Center of Health and Environment (CYSMA), University of Huelva, Huelva, Spain

    R. Jara-Biedma, R. González-Dominguez, T. García-Barrera & J. L. Gómez-Ariza

  3. International Campus of Excellence (ceiA3), University of Huelva, Huelva, Spain

    R. Jara-Biedma, R. González-Dominguez, T. García-Barrera & J. L. Gómez-Ariza

  4. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Córdoba, Campus of Rabanales, Severo Ochoa Building, A4 Highway, Km 396a, 14071, Córdoba, Spain

    J. Lopez-Barea & C. Pueyo

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  1. R. Jara-Biedma
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  2. R. González-Dominguez
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  3. T. García-Barrera
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  4. J. Lopez-Barea
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  5. C. Pueyo
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  6. J. L. Gómez-Ariza
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Correspondence to T. García-Barrera or J. L. Gómez-Ariza.

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Jara-Biedma, R., González-Dominguez, R., García-Barrera, T. et al. Evolution of metallotionein isoforms complexes in hepatic cells of Mus musculus along cadmium exposure. Biometals 26, 639–650 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10534-013-9636-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10534-013-9636-0

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