The concentration of metallothionein in the mouse tissues was determined after starvation, and the effect of starvation against acute cadmium toxicity was examined. The concentration of metallothionein increased significantly in the liver (101±30μg/g) and pancreas (595±94μg/g) 24 h after starvation. The starved mice were injected s.c. with cadmium at the dose of 10, 8 or 7 mg/g, and observed for 3 or 2 d. The mortality of starved mice were not lower than that of control. The increase of the metallothionein concentration in the liver after sham-operation was also not effective against acute cadmium toxicity. At 8 h after the cadmium injection, the concentration of metallothionein in the liver of starved mice was significantly lower than that of mice pre-injected with olive oil. These results indicate that acute cadmium toxicity in starved or wounded mice can not be prevented even if the concentration of metallothionein in the liver increased.