Sogawa C A, Asanuma M, Sogawa N, Miyazaki I, Nakanishi T, Furuta H, Ogawa N
Department of Dental Pharmacology, Okayama University Dental School, Japan.
Acta Med Okayama. 2001 Feb;55(1):1-9. doi: 10.18926/AMO/32031.
The metallothionein (MT) family is a class of low molecular, intracellular, and cysteine-rich proteins with a high affinity for metals. Although the first of these proteins was discovered nearly 40 years ago, their functional significance remains obscure. Four major isoforms (MT-I, MT-II, MT-III, and MT-IV) have been identified in mammals. MT-I and MT-II are ubiquitously expressed in various organs including the brain, while expression of MT-III and MT-IV is restricted in specific organs. MT-III was detected predominantly in the brain, and characterized as a central nervous system-specific isomer. The role of MTs in the central nervous system has become an intense focus of scientific research. An isomer of MTs, MT-III, of particular interest, was originally discovered as a growth inhibitory factor, and has been found to be markedly reduced in the brain of patients with Alzheimer's disease and several other neurodegenerative diseases. MT-III fulfills unique biological roles in homeostasis of the central nervous system and in the etiology of neuropathological disorders.
金属硫蛋白（MT）家族是一类低分子质量、细胞内且富含半胱氨酸的蛋白质，对金属具有高亲和力。尽管这些蛋白质中的第一种是在近40年前被发现的，但其功能意义仍不清楚。在哺乳动物中已鉴定出四种主要的异构体（MT-I、MT-II、MT-III和MT-IV）。MT-I和MT-II在包括脑在内的各种器官中普遍表达，而MT-III和MT-IV的表达则局限于特定器官。MT-III主要在脑中检测到，并被表征为一种中枢神经系统特异性异构体。MT在中枢神经系统中的作用已成为科学研究的一个热点。MT的一种异构体MT-III特别受关注，它最初被发现是一种生长抑制因子，并且已发现在阿尔茨海默病和其他几种神经退行性疾病患者的脑中明显减少。MT-III在中枢神经系统的稳态和神经病理疾病的病因学中发挥着独特的生物学作用。
