metallothionein and 2-mercapto-3-furan-2-ylpropenoic-acid

The effect of alpha-mercapto-beta-(2-furyl) acrylic acid (MFA, 200 mg/kg, oral) administered 30 min or 24 h post cadmium (1 mg/kg, i.p.) exposure on cadmium toxicity, was investigated in rats. The Cd induced hepatic metallothionein was reduced by MFA treatment parallel to the depletion of hepatic Cd. However, in renal tissue, MFA caused only redistribution of metal from the particulate to the soluble fraction. Hepatic and renal Zn and renal Cu were significantly increased on Cd exposure. MFA therapy, however, lowered the hepatic Zn and increased the renal Cu levels. The action of MFA appears to be via metal chelation rather than by MT induction.

Topics: Acrylates; Animals; Antidotes; Cadmium Poisoning; Kidney; Liver; Metallothionein; Rats; Time Factors

The teratogenic effect of cadmium can be diminished by a number of mechanisms including zinc and pretreatment with cadmium and mercury. In this study, the oral administration of alpha-mercapto-beta-(2-furyl)-acrylic acid (MFA) protects against cadmium-induced malformations and embryonic death. This protection is probably mediated by the chelation of the cadmium ion rather than metallothionein (MT) synthesis.

Topics: Abnormalities, Drug-Induced; Acrylates; Animals; Cadmium; Cricetinae; Embryo Implantation; Female; Fetal Resorption; Kidney; Liver; Metallothionein; Pregnancy; Teratogens

Intubation of rats with alpha-mercapto-beta-(2-furyl)-acrylic acid (MFA) for 5 days at 50 mg/kg caused a 7-fold increase in kidney copper concentration, a 2-fold increase in kidney zinc concentration, and a 20% increase in liver zinc concentration. The proteins which bound the increased metals were purified and identified as metallothioneins by their amino acid compositions. Two isoforms were isolated from each organ. Renal thioneins appeared identical to counterpart hepatic apoproteins, but the former bound Cu and Zn in a 2:1 mole ratio and the latter bound only Zn. Kidney contained over 10 times more metallothionein per g of tissue than did liver. In rats previously administered MFA, injection of cadmium sulfate resulted in rapid displacement of liver metallothionein-bound Zn by Cd under conditions where minimal metallothionein was found in Cd-dosed animals not administered MFA. We conclude that MFA induces metallothionein biosynthesis in kidney and liver of normal rats; this is a novel effect for an organic compound.

Topics: Acrylates; Amino Acids; Animals; Cadmium; Copper; Cytosol; Kidney; Kinetics; Liver; Metallothionein; Rats; Zinc