Hepatic metallothioneirts and tissue metals in chronic relapsing form of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in rats

摘要

Metallothioneins (MTs) are low molecular weight, cysteine-rich proteins that can act as antioxidants and as the immunosuppressive agents in instances of antigen-dependent adaptive immunity. Their induction dramatically increases in response to tissue injury, infection, inflammation and neoplastic disease, showing that they belong to a stress or acute phase proteins. To elucidate the participation of the liver in the pathogenesis of chronic relapsing form of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (CR-EAE), induced in the genetically susceptible DA rats, in this study the hepatic expression of MT I+II and tissue concentrations of Zn~(2+) and Cu~(2+) were evaluated during the different phases of disease (in attacks on the 12th and 22nd and remissions on the 18th and 28th post-immunization day). The data revealed that hepatic expression of MTs was markedly enhanced during the time of attacks, as well as that during the first attack of EAE significantly arose the hepatic concentrations Zn~(2+) and Cu~(2+) (p<0.0003 in comparison with CFA-treated rats), pointing to the direct participation of the liver in CR-EAE.