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Elevation in metallothionein messenger RNA in rat tissues after exposure to X-irradiation
N Shiraishi1, H Hayashi, Y Hiraki
1Department of Radiation Medicine, Okayama University Medical School, Japan.
Abstract:
Metallothionein (MT) mRNA levels in tissues were measured in rats following whole-body X-irradiation (2 and 20 Gy). When compared with control rats, the elevation in MT mRNA levels of liver, kidney, and thymus was observed in irradiated rats at 9 or 72 hr after irradiation. However, the elevation in MT mRNA levels was not observed in brain, spleen, lung, heart, and testis. When compared with other tissues, testicular MT mRNA levels in control rats were extremely high, and treatment with X-irradiation produced a slight decrease of testicular MT mRNA levels. Time-course experiments indicated that hepatic and renal MT mRNA reached a maximum at 6 hr after irradiation. In low-dose (2 Gy) irradiated rat, these values were returned to control values by 4 days after irradiation. However, in high-dose (20 Gy) irradiated rat, the values were not decreased to control values. These data indicate that treatment with X-irradiation produces an elevation in MT mRNA in rat tissues.