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Metallothionein in human thrombocyte precursors, CD61+ megakaryocytes

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Abstract

The in vitro biosynthesis of metallothionein (MT) was investigated in thrombocyte precursors (megakaryocytes) isolated from human cord blood. Biosynthesis and induction of MT in magnetic cell sorting-separated CD61+ megakaryocytes was confirmed by immunohistochemical staining using monoclonal mouse anti-MT. The presence of MT was detected both in the nuclear and in the cytoplasmic area. Using RT-PCR, in vitro upregulation/induction of total MT transcripts was observed in CD61+ cells at 48 h post-treatment with 100 μmol/L of zinc supplement. Seven isoform-specific mRNAs namely, MT-1A, MT-1B, MT-1E, MT-1G, MT-1H, MT-1X, and MT-2A were detected in the similar cell populations left untreated with zinc.

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Abbreviations

MGG:

May-Grünwald and Giemsa

MT:

metallothionein

RT-PCR:

reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Professor Dr. J. van den Oord, Laboratory for Histochemistry and Cytochemistry, KU Leuven, and to Dr. M. Delforge and Dr. W. Goossens, Laboratory of Hematology, UZ, KU Leuven, for allowing us to use their laboratory facilities. We wish to acknowledge the medical staff of the Obstetrics Division in the Heilig Hart Ziekenhuis, Leuven, for providing us with samples of cord blood. This work was supported by a research grant from the Fonds voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek-Vlaanderen (G0410.98). M.T.R. was supported by the IROL fellowship from KU Leuven.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory for Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200G, B-3001, Leuven (Heverlee), Belgium

    M. T. Rahman & M. De Ley

  2. Department of Biomedical Science, Kulliyyah of Science, International Islamic University Malaysia, Gombak, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    M. T. Rahman

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  1. M. T. Rahman
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  2. M. De Ley
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Correspondence to M. De Ley.

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Rahman, M.T., De Ley, M. Metallothionein in human thrombocyte precursors, CD61+ megakaryocytes. Cell Biol Toxicol 24, 19–25 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10565-007-9012-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10565-007-9012-3

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