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J.Health Sci., 47(6), 513-519, 2001
-Review-
Molecular Mechanism of the Metallothionein Gene Expression Mediated by Metal-Responsive Transcription Factor 1
Fuminori Otsuka*
Department of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Teikyo University, Sagamiko, Kanagawa 199-0195, Japan
Metal-responsive transcription factor 1 (MTF-1) is essential for activating transcription of the metallothionein genes in response to multiple species of heavy metals by binding to the metal-responsive element (MRE) located in the upstream region of the genes. In contrast, MTF-1 binding to the MRE in vitro is induced only by zinc ions, suggesting that MTF-1 acts as a zinc sensor protein. Although the mechanism allowing such a zinc-responsive factor to respond to various metal species in vivo remains ambiguous, recent information regarding the metal response of MTF-1 and the genes expressed downstream of MTF-1 provides important clues to unraveling the intrinsic mechanism and the biological significance of the MTF-1 functions in vivo.
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