Distribution of zinc metallothionein I mRNA in rat brain using in situ hybridization

R. Hao, D. R. Cerutis, H. S. Blaxall, J. F. Rodriguez-Sierra, R. F. Pfeiffer, M. Ebadi

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

23 Scopus citations

Abstract

Metallothionein (MT) isoforms I and II were first identified and characterized in our laboratories in several regions of brain, in hippocampal neurons in primary culture, and in retinoblastoma and neuroblastoma cell lines. In this study, by having employed the MT-I cDNA as a probe, we sought to gain additional insight about the function of MT by discerning the regional distribution of its mRNA. Northern blot analyses of brain mRNA revealed that the administration of zinc enhanced dramatically MT-I mRNA (570 bp). The in situ hybridization study revealed that MT-I mRNA was located in several areas of brain, with the highest concentrations found in the cerebellum, hippocampus, and ventricles. The results of these studies are interpreted to suggest that zinc enhances the synthesis of MT mRNA and MT in turn may participate in zinc associated functions in neurons.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)761-767
Number of pages7
JournalNeurochemical Research
Volume19
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 1994
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Zinc
  • brain function
  • cerebellum
  • glials
  • hippocampus
  • metallothionein
  • neurons

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biochemistry
  • Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience

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