| First Author | Philcox JC | Year | 1995 |
| Journal | Biochem J | Volume | 308 ( Pt 2) |
| Pages | 543-6 | PubMed ID | 7772039 |
| Mgi Jnum | J:26676 | Mgi Id | MGI:74110 |
| Doi | 10.1042/bj3080543 | Citation | Philcox JC, et al. (1995) Endotoxin-induced inflammation does not cause hepatic zinc accumulation in mice lacking metallothionein gene expression. Biochem J 308(Pt 2):543-6 |
| abstractText | The action of endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on hepatic Zn uptake was examined in mice lacking expression of metallothionein (MT)-1 and MT-II genes. Hepatic Zn concentrations, which in normal control mice increased by a mean 29% (MT elevated 20-fold) 16 h post-LPS exposure, did not increase in MT-null mice. Plasma Zn fell by 68% in controls and 32% in MT-null mice. The time course of LPS action in normal mice was characterized by a rapid reduction (-74% at 4 h, -81% at 8 h) and partial recovery (-39% at 24 h) in plasma Zn, with a progressive increase over 24 h in hepatic concentrations of MT (by 36-fold) and Zn (by 40%). In contrast, the MT-null mice had a linear decrease in plasma Zn (-15% at 8 h, -41% at 24 h) and early loss of Zn from the liver. The Zn changes seen in MT-null mice were largely attributable to LPS-associated anorexia. Food deprivation (20 h) alone caused respective 14% and 30% decreases in hepatic and plasma Zn concentrations and a 27% reduction in total liver Zn reserves, whereas fasted normal mice conserved Zn with a 4-fold increase in hepatic MT. This study confirms that MT synthesis is essential for endotoxin-induced liver Zn accumulation. |
