The latest research outcomes indicate that metallothionein (MT) levels in peripheral blood and serum from cancer patients can provide many interesting information about type or clinical stage of the disease, or response to therapy. MT plays a key role in transport of essential heavy metals, detoxification of toxic metals and protection of cells against oxidation stress. Serum MT levels of cancer patients are three times higher than control patients (0.5 microM). The elevated MT levels in cancer cells are probably related to their increased proliferation and protection against apoptosis. Automated electrochemical detection of MT allows its serial analysis in a very small volume with excellent sensitivity, reliability and reproducibility and therefore it can be considered as a new tool for cancer diagnosis (Fig. 4, Ref. 55). Full Text (Free, PDF) www.bmj.sk.

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty of Agronomy Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry Brno Czech Republic

Zinc and zinc-containing biomolecules in childhood brain tumors

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Serum metallothioneins in childhood tumours-a potential prognostic marker

An adsorptive transfer technique coupled with brdicka reaction to reveal the importance of metallothionein in chemotherapy with platinum based cytostatics