Effect of Metallothionein-III on Mercury-Induced Chemokine Gene Expression

Mercury compounds are known to cause central nervous system disorders; however the detailed molecular mechanisms of their actions remain unclear. Methylmercury increases the expression of several chemokine genes, specifically in the brain, while metallothionein-III (MT-III) has a protective role against various brain diseases. In this study, we investigated the involvement of MT-III in chemokine gene expression changes in response to methylmercury and mercury vapor in the cerebrum and cerebellum of wild-type mice and MT-III null mice. No difference in mercury concentration was observed between the wild-type mice and MT-III null mice in any brain tissue examined. The expression of Ccl3 in the cerebrum and of Cxcl10 in the cerebellum was increased by methylmercury in the MT-III null but not the wild-type mice. The expression of Ccl7 in the cerebellum was increased by mercury vapor in the MT-III null mice but not the wild-type mice. However, the expression of Ccl12 and Cxcl12 was increased in the cerebrum by methylmercury only in the wild-type mice and the expression of Ccl3 in the cerebellum was increased by mercury vapor only in the wild-type mice. These results indicate that MT-III does not affect mercury accumulation in the brain, but that it affects the expression of some chemokine genes in response to mercury compounds.

Effects of Resistance Exercise Intensity on Cytokine and Chemokine Gene Expression in Atopic Dermatitis Mouse Model

Background and Objective Although the evidence is unclear, literature indicates that resistance exercise reduces inflammation in colorectal disease. The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of colon tissue on cytokine and chemokine gene expression with changes in resistance exercise intensity. Material and Methods We divided male BABL/c mice into 6 groups (each group n=10, total=60) (control group: CON, low resistance exercise group: EX_L, high resistance exercise group: EX_H, atopic dermatitis group: AD, atopic dermatitis+low resistance exercise group: AD+EX_L, atopic dermatitis+high resistance exercise group: AD+EX_H) and subjected them to ladder climbing resistance exercise for 4 weeks. After 24 h of each exercise schedule, a real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed to determine mRNA expression of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and chemokine ligand 20 (CCL20). Results The AD group showed significantly higher mRNA expression of IL-6 and CCL20 compared with the CON, EX_L, EX_H, AD+EX_L, and AD+EX_H groups (p<0.05). Conclusion In conclusion, both high and low resistance exercise effectively decreases the concentration of IL-6 and CCL20 in mice with and without AD.