Metallothioneins, oxidative stress and the cardiovascular system

Metallothioneins (MTs) discovered four decades ago as metal binding low mol ecular weight thiol proteins, in recent years, have generated immense inter est due to their involvement in various physiological and pathophysiologica l events. In spite of the recent advances in the knowledge base in MTs, no specific study on the isolation or characterization of MTs isoforms and the ir precise function in the heart has been conducted. Although most stress c onditions in the heart do not produce much change in myocardial MTs, TNF-al pha and IL-6 do induce MT in the heart to the extent comparable with the li ver. Cardiotoxicity of anticancer drugs and vulnerability of the heart to o ther oxidative stress conditions may partially be due to lack of inducibili ty of MT in the heart by these interventions. A clear understanding of indu ction of MTs in the heart may help in the development of better approaches to modulate the pathogenesis of cardiomyopathies and heart failure. (C) 200 0 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.