Damir Grebić

Metallothionein expression and tissue metal kinetics after partial hepatectomy in mice

To better elucidate previous results showing that partial hepatectomy noticeably changes the tissue content of zinc, calcium, magnesium, and iron(II) ions in regenerating the liver, thymus, and spleen, we report on the correlation of these metal tissue kinetics in these organs with the expression of metallothionein-I+II (MT-I+II) proteins and MT-I mRNA in early postoperative period (1, 2, 6, 12, and 24 h) after one-third hepatectomy (pHx). The results showed that 2 h after pHx the regenerating liver accumulated Zn2+, Ca2+, Mg2+, and Fe2+ ions while decreasing the concentration of all these metals in the spleen and of Zn2+ in the thymus. On the 24th h, a new high accumulation of Zn2+ and Ca2+ was seen in the regenerating liver and of Zn2+, Ca2+, and Fe2+ in the spleen. Simultaneously, MT-I mRNA increased in the liver and spleen. In hepatocytes and on several spleen and thymus mononuclear lymphatic cells, the increased expression of MT proteins was found mainly in the cytoplasm and nuclei. The areas expressing MTs in regenerating liver inversely correlated with those containing apoptotic cells, suggesting that these proteins participate in tissue restoration through reduction or increase of metal ions after injury to the liver.

Metallothionein I+II expression as an early sign of chronic relapsing experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in rats.

Metallothioneins (MTs) are small, cysteine-rich proteins which have been implicated in various forms of stress providing cytoprotective action against oxidative injury, DNA damage and apoptosis. Owing to their high affinity for physiological metals, such as zinc and copper MTs are also critical components of regulatory proteins involved in cell growth and multiplication, as well as in the maintenance of immune homeostasis. To elucidate the role of MTs in the pathomechanisms of autoimmune CNS disorders we estimated the expression of MT I+II proteins and the content of free Zn ions in the brain, spinal cord and in the liver early in the course of chronic relapsing experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (CR-EAE) pathogenesis, i.e. before the onset of any clinical symptoms. Disease was induced in the genetically susceptible Dark Agouti (DA) rats by subcutaneous injection of bovine brain homogenate in CFA. Control animals were treated with CFA alone. The data, obtained by immuno-histochemistry and in situ fluorescent labeling of free zinc ions, have shown that in the presymptomatic phase of CR-EAE (on the seventh postimmunization day) MTs I+II were markedly upregulated in the cells that form blood-brain and blood-cerebrospinal fluid barriers, as well as in the cerebellar parenchyma and hippocampal dentate gyri. Furthermore, we found that the liver also becomes a site of extensive MTs I+II synthesis shortly after immunization. Simultaneously, tissue content of free zinc ions increased at the sites of MTs induction, reflecting their antioxidative activity. The data, described in this paper point to regulatory and neuroprotective role of MTs in the pathogenesis of CR-EAE.

Chronic Granulomatous Inflammation of the Breast as a First Clinical Manifestation of Primary Sarcoidosis

Background: Sarcoidosis is an idiopathic multisystemic disease that affects young to middle aged adults, with higher incidence in women. Although it may involve the breast parenchyma, primary sarcoidosis of the breast is very rare. It occurs in less than 1% of cases. In a differential diagnosis it may potentially be considered a malignancy. Case Report: We report a case in which breast sarcoidosis was the first clinical manifestation of systemic disease in a 54-year-old woman who presented with wide erythematous skin changes associated with palpable induration. Considering the fact that physical examination and the results of mammography, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging were inconclusive and unable to rule out malignancy, biopsy was performed. Pathohistological diagnosis showed a non-necrotizing granulomatous inflammation without elements of breast cancer. Sarcoidosis was confirmed with elevated level of angiotensin-converting enzyme in the sera and characteristic chest multislice computed tomography findings. The bronchoalveolar lavage was infiltrated with lymphocytes. Conclusion: Breast sarcoidosis has diverse and nonspecific imaging characteristics. Carcinoma must always be excluded by core needle biopsy. Achieving correct diagnosis is mandatory so that adequate corticosteroid therapy can be applied as early as possible. A multidisciplinary approach is of utmost importance in the diagnostic workup.

Endoplasmic reticulum resident heat shock protein-gp96 as morphogenetic and immunoregulatory factor in syngeneic pregnancy.

The severe remodeling of endometrial stroma during blastocyst adhesion and trophoblast invasion initiates at maternal-fetal interface the reaction of evolutionary old heat shock response, in which heat shock proteins, as molecular chaperons, monitor the configurations of newly synthesized proteins and prevent the formation of functionless aggregates of misfolded proteins, targeting them to degradation by a the ubiquitin-proteasome system. In addition, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-resident HSPs, such as gp96/GRP94 may, after binding to CD91 and TLRs, elicit antigen-specific and antigen-unspecific immune responses, owing to its peptide-chaperoning capacity and ability to activate APCs. Considering these properties, we examined tissue expression of gp96 at the maternal-fetal interface and in the maternal liver and spleen on the 16th day of undisturbed syngeneic pregnancy and after the treatment with peptidoglycan monomer linked with zinc (PGM-Zn). The data showed that in undisturbed pregnancy the gp96, CD91 and TLR2 were markedly expressed on extravillous and villous trophoblast. PGM-Zn enhanced these findings, as well as the number of uterine natural killer cells and local NFκB immunoreactivity. Gp96 expression arose also in the maternal spleen and liver, where an accumulation of NKT cells or γδT lymphocytes was seen. The data point to roles of gp96 in maintenance of proteostasis and local and systemic immune balance in pregnancy complicated by infection.

Kinetics of Tissue Iron in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis in Rats

To elucidate the role of iron in the pathomechanisms of autoimmune CNS disorders, we estimated the tissue concentrations of Fe2+ in the brain, spinal cord, and liver in the chronic relapsing form of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). The disease was induced in Dark Agouti (DA) strain of rats, by subcutaneous injection of bovine brain homogenate in complete Freunds adjuvant (CFA). Control rats consisted of unsensitized rats and of rats treated with CFA or saline. The data obtained by clinical assessment and by inductively coupled plasma spectrometry have shown that the attacks of disease (on the 12th and 22nd post-immunization day) were followed by high accumulation of iron in the liver. Additionally, during the second attack of disease, the decreased concentration of Fe2+ was found in cervical spinal cord. The data point to regulatory effects of iron and hepatic trace elements regulating mechanisms in the pathogenesis of EAE.

Metallothioneins and trace elements dyshomeostasis induced by exposure to gasoline vapor in mice

To investigate the effects of air pollution related with the gasoline/petrochemical industry the expression of metallothionein I (MT-I) mRNA and tissue metals were analyzed in organs of mice, exposed to gasoline (G) vapor in laboratory conditions. Control groups consisted of intact mice and of those exposed in the metabolic chamber to fresh air. The data obtained by RT-PCR and inductively coupled plasma spectrometry have shown that exposure to G vapor leads to upregulation of MT-I mRNA in organs that receive a strong respiratory and olfactory input or participate in gasoline degradation and elimination (lungs, brain, kidney and liver). Besides, in the brain and in the lungs, kidney and liver a decreased tissue content of Zn²⁺ or Cu²⁺ and Mg²⁺ was found (p<0.001). Some of these changes were obtained also in mice closed in the metabolic chamber, pointing to the involvement of stress-induced mechanisms in the transcriptional regulation of MTs.