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Metal Regulation of Metallothionein Gene Transcription in Mammals

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Copper Transport and Its Disorders

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 448))

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Abstract

Heavy metals play their essential role as nutrients and as cofactors for a variety of enzymes and metallo-proteins (O’Halloran, 1989). Metals are normally present in trace amount in the cell but these levels can increase consistently following environmental or nutritional changes. To avoid toxic effects and death due to metal overload, cells have de-veloped during evolution several biochemical and molecular mechanisms which regulate the metal uptake, its intracellular distribution and elimination from the intracellular compartments. Therefore, it appears that two main processes control intracellular metal ho-meostasis, the first based on the regulation of the enzymatic activities of metal pumps and transporters, the second activating gene transcription.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Biochimica e Biotecnologie Mediche, Universitè degli Studi di Napoli “Federico II”, Italy

    P. Remondelli & O. Moltedo

  2. Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Université degli Studi di Salerno, Piazza V. Emanuele, 9-84080, Penta di Fisciano (Salerno), Italy

    M. C. Pascale & Prof. Arturo Leone

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  1. P. Remondelli
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  2. O. Moltedo
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  3. M. C. Pascale
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  4. Prof. Arturo Leone
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy

    Arturo Leone

  2. The Murdoch Institute for Research into Birth Defects, Royal Children’s Hospital, Parkville, Australia

    Julian F. B. Mercer

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© 1999 Springer Science+Business Media New York

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Remondelli, P., Moltedo, O., Pascale, M.C., Leone, A. (1999). Metal Regulation of Metallothionein Gene Transcription in Mammals. In: Leone, A., Mercer, J.F.B. (eds) Copper Transport and Its Disorders. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 448. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-4859-1_20

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-4859-1_20

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