Metallothionein gene is expressed in developing rat intestine and is induced by zinc but not by corticosteroids

Abstract

The expression of metallothionein (MT) mRNA during perinatal development of rat intestine and its induction by zinc and cortisteroids were studied. Pregnant rats from d 17 to 22 of gestation and rats at 2, 4, 13 and 21 d of postnatal life were injected with saline solution (control) or with zinc (10 mg/kg body wt) or corticosteroids (1 mg/kg body wt). After 6 h, tissues were removed for analysis. Northern hybridization of polyA+RNA to 32P-MT-cDNA revealed that MT was expressed already at d 17 of fetal life, increased afterwards (reaching the maximal expression around birth) and decreased soon after until weaning. Metallothionein mRNA was markedly induced by zinc at d 18 of fetal life to a le..