Role of Metallothionein on Zn, Cu, Cd, Au, and Ag Accumulation in Hepatic Cytosol of Heavy Metal-Injected Rats

Summary

To examine the role of metallothionein (MT) on heavy metal accumulation in hepatic cytosol of rats, this study was carried out to determine the relative Zn, Cu, Cd, Au and Ag-binding capacities of MT in hepatic cytosol of Zn, Cu, Cd, Au and Aginjected rats, respectively. Our results demonstrated that approx. 60% of the Zn, Cu or Ag increments in the hepatic cytosol of Zn, Cu or Ag-injected rats was bound to MT, while approx. 80 or 4% of the Cd or Au increment in the hepatic cytosol of Cd or Au-injected rats was bound to MT. Therefore we suggested the order of the relative capacity in vivo of MT was determined for several metals (Cd>Zn=Ag≥Cu>Au). These results suggested that the role of MT in Zn, Ag or Cu accumulation in the liver of Zn, Ag or Cu-injected rats was different from that of MT in Cd or Au accumulation in the liver of Cd or Au-injected rats.