Detection of Metallothionein Proteins by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA)

Metallothioneins (MTs) are low-molecular-weight, cysteine-rich proteins that bind to heavy metals. MTs play a key role in the homeostasis of metal ions, maintaining intracellular redox equilibria and free radical scavenging. In several studies, under different conditions such as cancer development, drug therapy and heavy metal stress, the unique structural changes and functional effects of MT were studied. Although several assays are available to monitor the content and type of Metallothionein (MT) from environmental samples or in biomedical assays, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISA) became the preferred method of MT detection. ELISA is low in cost, specific, simple, and efficient. This review evaluates the advantages and disadvantages of using different types of ELISA in the detection of metallothioneins from environmental or clinical samples as well as ways of its validation and cross-validation.