Induction of metallothionein in liver and changes of essential metal levels in selected tissues by three dextran derivatives.

Three dextran derivatives (dextran sulfate, DEAE-dextran and Dextran T500) were injected intraperitoneally into mice to study the induction of zinc-thionein in the liver, and the changes of essential metal levels in the liver, kidneys and spleen. The former was investigated with a high performance liquid chromatograph equipped with an atomic absorption spectrophotometer, and the latter with an inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometer. Dextran sulfate and DEAE-dextran induced a large amount of hepatic zinc-thionein dose-dependently, while Dextran T500 did not induce metallothionein substantially at the doses studied 20, 40 and 60 mg/kg body wt). The injection of dextran sulfate resulted in a significant increase of spleen weight, with a transitory increase of calcium concentration in the three tissues and a significant decrease of iron level in the spleen. In accord with the induction of zinc-thionein by dextran sulfate and DEAE-dextran, zinc concentration in the liver also increased transitionally after both injections and the time-course of the hepatic zinc level in dextran sulfate showed a close resemblance to that of the calcium one.