Aim: Using the model of burned animal with delayed resuscitation to study antagonistic effect of Zn7-metallothionein (Zn7-MT) on oxidative stress in the liver of rats suffered from severe thermal injury on skin.
Methods: To compare the changes in antioxidant concentrations and antioxidative enzyme activities in the liver or plasma of burned rats with or without Zn7-MT in resuscitation fluid by biochemical assay.
Results: After injury, glutathione concentration was progressively decreased with time. At 24 h after injury, activities of glutathione reductase and glutathione peroxidase in the liver of burned rats were increased and then decreased at 48 h postburn. Alpha-tocopherol in plasma was reduced at 24 h and malondialdehyde in the liver was increased significantly postburn. MT and MT-1 mRNA expression in burned rats were activated. Taken together, oxidative stress in the liver of burned rats occurred. Exogenous Zn7-MT attenuated the changes in antioxidant concentrations and antioxidative enzyme activities in the liver or plasma of burned rats. The effect of Zn7-MT was in a concentration-dependent manner and the concentration of 10 micromol/L was the most effective. Exogenous Zn7-MT also inhibited MT-1 mRNA overexpression and increased MT protein concentration.
Conclusion: Zn7-MT effectively antagonized oxidative stress in the liver of rats with severe thermal injury.