ISSN:
1420-9071
Keywords:
Metallothionein
;
liver
;
primary biliary cirrhosis
;
copper
;
zinc
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Medicine
Notes:
Summary A copper-containing protein was purified from the liver of a patient with primary biliary cirrhosis by a combination of gel filtration and anion exchange chromatography. This copper-protein had UV absorption and emission spectra, an amino acid composition, and a molecular mass which were characteristic for metallothionein (MT). From 8 livers (3 control, 1 fetal and 4 primary biliary cirrhosis) MT was extracted with non-reducing buffer and centrifuged, and the pellets were re-extracted with a 1% 2-mercaptoethanol-containing buffer. The non-reducing buffer extracted a predominantly copper-containing MT from the livers of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis and a predominantly zinc-containing MT from control lives and the fetal liver. Only from the fetal liver was a copper/zinc containing MT solubilized during the re-extraction with 2-mercaptoethanol-containing buffer. These results indicate that human MT is a unique metalloprotein with age and disease-dependent characteristics.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01939936
