METALLOTHIONEIN SYNTHESIS INDUCED BY INTERFERON-ALPHA BETA IN MICE OFVARIOUS ZINC STATUS/

We studied the ability of interferon alpha/beta (IFN) to induce metall othionein (MT) synthesis in mice. Male mice were injected intraperiton eally with mouse IFN (5 x 10(5) IU/mouse). Plasma Zn levels mere reduc ed at 4 hr after injection, reached a minimum value at 6 hr, and then returned to the control level at 8 hr. Hepatic MT concentrations began to increase at 4 hr and reached maximum values at 6 hr. Induction of MT gene expression and protein synthesis was confirmed by Northern blo t analysis and radioimmunoassay, respectively. The induction of MT syn thesis in the liver by IBN was dose-dependent. The data suggest that i nduction of MT-mRNA and the protein in the liver by IFN occurs rapidly but is rather transient. Furthermore, MT synthesis was not induced by IFN in the liver of mice given a Zn-deficient diet, whereas IFN induc ed increases in the activity of 2', 5'-oligoadenylate synthetase in th e spleen were unaffected by Zn status. Thus, induction of hepatic MT s ynthesis by IFN is influenced by Zn status.