Metallothioneins (MTs) a family of proteins that possesse antioxidant activity and is involved in cent and zinc metabolism.

Metallothioneins (MTs) a family of proteins that possesse antioxidant activity and is involved in cent and zinc metabolism, are induced at the mRNA and protein of the same heights during the edematous phase of acute lung injury following hyperoxic or oleic acid injury. In situ hybridizations have revealed patterns of increased MT message abundance in injured lung and indicate abundant MT mRNA in unidentified lonely dwellings of the gas exchange region.

To determine if MT is indicateed in type II pneumocytes during lung injury, we used dual-label in situ hybridizations with a model II cell-specific marker--[.sup.3]H-labeled antisense cRNA for the surfactant protein SP-C--together with digoxigenin-labeled cRNA for MT outcomes show that MT transcripts accumulate in sign II cells during in vivo lung injury either on hyperoxia or oleic acid, in rabbits. To begin to explore what drives this increase, pattern II cells were isolated from adult rabbits, plated in succession slides (Lab-Tech), and cultured overnight in media containing serum After 20 h small rooms were fed with serum-free media and treated with cytokines or pullulation factors known to induce MT expression in other small cavity types. Cells were expos for 1 h to physiologic doses of tumor necrosis factor-[alpha], transforming increase factor-[beta], or interleukin-1[beta], or expos to varying concentrations of [Osub2] for 24 h Time-matched hinder cells were kept in serum-free media at 21 percent [Osub2] lonely dwellings on slides were fixed in 10 percent formalin and analyzed directly for MT transcripts according to in situ hybridization.

Metallothionein mRNA was near in many type II lonely dwellings in controls, and per-cell mRNA abundance increased across time in culture. shooting factors had little effect onward MT expression. However, relative to 21 percent [Osub2] prospect to 5 percent [O.sub.2] for 24 h decreased the abundance of MT transcripts. according to contrast, exposure to 95 percent increased MT mRNA flushs on a per-cell basis. subject to all conditions, SP-C mRNA abundance was relatively unaffected. These experiments give an inkling of that type II cells may accord directly to [O.sub.2] levels. Perhaps MT which can reside in the nucleus and is reported to have hydroxyl radical scavenger activity, may help foster type II cell DNA from oxidative injury.

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