摘要：The present study was designed to investigate the effects of restraint stress and inflammation on levels of serum zinc and corticosterone in metallothionein-null (MT-/-) mice with respect to a modulating role of MT in stress responses. In wild-type (MT+/+) mice, serum zinc concentration decreased after injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), but increased with exposure to restraint. In LPS-treated mice, serum zinc levels were higher in MT-/- mice than in MT+/+ mice. On the other hand, after exposure to restraint stress, serum corticosterone levels increased in both mice, but the increase rate was higher in MT+/+ mice than in MT-/- mice. In addition, injection of LPS decreased serum corticosterone in MT+/+ mice, but there was no change in MT-/- mice. These findings suggest that MT may modify the zinc metabolism and stress responses in inflammatory and restraint stress.
