Quantification of the metal distribution in metallothioneins of the human liver by HPLC coupled with ICP-AES

Fractions containing metallothioneins (MT's), extracted from the liver cytosol of humans, were analysed to determine the complete distribution pattern of the metals copper, cadmium and zinc. Samples of cirrhotic livers which had come from organs removed during transplantation were examined for differences in the trace-element binding pattern. After the extraction of supernatants from the tissue samples, membrane ultrafiltration of the cytosolic solution was carried out to separate all high-molecular proteins with molecular weights >100 kDa. This procedure retains the metal content of the MT's in its initial form, in contrast to the often-used heat treatment of samples, which changes the copper distribution significantly. The MT's themself were isolated using size exclusion and anion exchange chromatography. Their metal content was determined simultaneously on-line by combination with an ICP-AES as element detector. Calibration of the procedure was performed by means of a column by-pass-injection of elemental standards into the separation system. The MT content in the samples was calculated using the determined metal concentrations and the generally accepted metal/protein ratios for Cu (12:1), Cd (7:1) and Zn (7:1). These values were compared with values resulting from a Cd-109-saturation-assay. When various liver samples of different pathogenesis were compared, the highest level of Cu-MT was found in primary biliary cirrhosis.