Abstract
Metallothionein (MT) proteins and mRNA levels were determined following exposure of neonatal rat primary astrocyte cultures to bismuth. MT mRNA were probed on Northern blots with [α-32P]dCTP labeled synthetic cDNA probes specific for rat MT-I and MT-II mRNA. The probes for MT-I and MT-II mRNA hybridize to a single mRNA with a size appropriate for MT, approxmiately 550 and 450 base pairs for MT-I and MT-II, respectively. Expression of MT-I and MT-II mRNA in astrocyte monolayers exposed to 2 and 10 μM bismuth for 6 h was increased in a dose-dependent manner over MT-I and MT-II mRNA levels in control cells. Western blot analysis revealed a time-dependent increase in MT protein synthesis through 72 h of exposure to bismuth (2-10 μM). Consistent with the bismuth-induced increase in MTs at the mRNA and protein levels, a time- (24-72 h) and dose-dependent (2-10 μM) increase in astrocytic MT-immunoreactivity was noted.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 106-112 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Brain research |
Volume | 732 |
Issue number | 1-2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Sep 2 1996 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- astrocyte
- bismuth
- in vitro
- metallothionein
- rat
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Neuroscience
- Molecular Biology
- Clinical Neurology
- Developmental Biology