Metallothionein levels in cell fractions from breast cancer tissues

Metallothioneins (MTs) protect the cell against reactive forms of oxygen, i onizing radiation, pharmacological agents and mutagens. Metallothioneins ar e also responsible for neoplastic cell resistance to cytostatic drugs. The aim of this study was to determine the MT level in cell fractions as well a s to determine whether there is any change in the concentration of these pr oteins in a neoplastic cell, and in which cell fractions this change takes place. The neoplastic tissue examined was histopathologically ductal carcin oma invasive, and the control tissue was mastopathic tissue with proliferat ed connective and glandular tissue. The level of MTs was determined using c admium isotope (Cd-109). It was determined that there was an increase in MT level in the neoplastic tissue, the highest level being found in the mitoc hondrial fraction obtained from the control and mastopathic tissues. The gr eatest changes in MT concentrations in breast carcinoma were observed in th e nuclear and cytosol fractions. In the nuclear fraction in the breast carc inoma tissue, the MT level was almost three times that of the control group .