metallothionein and Burkitt-Lymphoma

Topics: Adult; Autoradiography; B-Lymphocytes; Burkitt Lymphoma; Cadmium; Cadmium Chloride; Cadmium Radioisotopes; Cell Line; Cell Line, Transformed; Cell Separation; Chromatography, Gel; Cysteine; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; Erythrocytes; Flow Cytometry; Granulocytes; Herpesvirus 4, Human; Humans; In Vitro Techniques; Leukemia; Lymphocytes; Metallothionein; Monocytes; Sulfur Radioisotopes; T-Lymphocytes

Cd2+-binding proteins of peripheral blood lymphocytes and monocytes have not well been characterized so far, although they are expected to be a clue for understanding Cd2+ toxicity in those immune competent cells. We separated a family of Cd2+-binding proteins from Cd2+-exposed human peripheral blood lymphocytes by gel filtration chromatography, and characterized them by SDS-gel electrophoresis. The proteins showed electrophoretic behaviours closely similar to metallothioneins (MTs) of HeLa cells derived from human cervical carcinoma. The proteins were also found in Cd2+-exposed monocytes, and were inducible by Cd2+ in both lymphocytes and monocytes. Anti-MT serum specifically precipitated these proteins, which were thus identified as MTs. These results suggest that the two classes of the cells involved in the immune system possess a protective mechanism against Cd2+ through MTs. A variety of human lymphoid cell lines derived from both T and B cells were also found to have capacity to synthesize MTs in response to Cd2+.

Topics: Adult; Burkitt Lymphoma; Cadmium; Cell Line; Cell Transformation, Viral; Humans; Leukemia; Lymphocytes; Male; Metallothionein; Monocytes; Multiple Myeloma