Fwd: Fw: New Advanced Metallothionein (MT) Profile (AMP)

[Guest guest]

I just got this e-mail today.

Finally, the MT protein test is available!!

I will pass this on to everyone!

(Just in time too, I was wanting to take off the chelation therapy

this summer and see if his body will take over, producing the MT

protein).

My web site:

www.kevinspantry.com

Reply-To: " The Great

Plains Laboratory, Inc. "

From: " The Great Plains Laboratory, Inc. "

To:

Subject: Fw: New Advanced Metallothionein (MT) Profile (AMP)

Date: Tue, 13 May 2003 11:30:41 -0700

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Advanced Metallothionein

(MT) Profile (AMP) with direct measurement of metallothionein available

now at The Great Plains Laboratory

($250 cash price)

To order this test, please go to

http://www.greatplainslaboratory.com/ordertest.asp

The test for metallothionein (MT) at The Great

Plains Laboratory is a direct enzyme linked immunoassay (ELISA) test for

MT using a highly specific antibody for MT. The metallothionein profile

at The Great Plains Laboratory includes tests for

Serum zinc Serum copper

Serum ceruloplasmin

Serum ceruloplasmin copper (calculated)

Non-ceruloplasmin ( " free " ) copper (calculated)

Whole blood reduced glutathione

Whole blood metallothionein Copper: zinc ratio

Reduced glutathione: metallothionein ratio

Zinc: metallothionein ratio

Summary of uses of Advanced Metallothionein Profile (AMP)

Determine zinc and copper deficiencies or excesses

Determine excesses or deficiencies of metallothionein

High metallothionein may be indicator of heavy metal toxicity, especially for cadmium and mercury.

Low reduced glutathione is indicator of genetic diseases as well as indicator of exposure to toxic halogenated chemicals and heavy metals

Low reduced glutathione may decrease function of metallothionein

Determine relative amounts of available ( " free " ) and tightly bound (unavailable) copper and zinc

Determine effectiveness of treatments claimed to modulate metallothionein autism

Use as a guide to modulate immune deficiencies by high doses of zinc

Research into effects of metal regulation on premature aging, especially aging of the immune system

Metallothionein

Interest in metallothionein (MT) has attracted considerable interest in the last two years because of data collected by Walsh, Ph.D. of the Pfeiffer Institute, which indicates the copper to zinc ratio is abnormally high in individuals with autism. Dr. Walsh theorizes that the reason for this abnormal ratio is a deficiency of MT or an altered function of MT in individuals with autism. Based on this theory, Dr. Walsh began offering a treatment for this deficiency based on the use of nutritional supplements that include zinc, the amino acids found in MT, and other nutrients. However, it is estimated that zinc has over 200 different biochemical functions so the benefits of zinc might be completely unrelated to metallothionein. If metallothionein is low in autism, such a deficiency might help to explain why children with autism responded unfavorably to vaccines containing heavy metals like mercury. MT chelates mercury. If MT were low, more mercury might be free, causing greater toxicity. The amino acid sequences of human MT 1 and 2 are given below:

mdpncscttg gscacagsck ckeckctsck kcccsccpvg cakcaqgcvc kgssekcrcc a MT 1(

mdpncscaag vsctcagsck ckeckctsck ksccsccpvg cakcaqgcic kgasekcscc a MT 2

MT is a family of small proteins containing 61-68 amino acids with an unusually high concentration of cysteine (30%). In the diagram of MT1 and MT 2 above, a letter represents each of the 20 amino acids present in MT. The letter " c " represents the amino acid, " cysteine " . MT-1 has 21 cysteine amino acids per MT molecule while MT-2 has 20 of these cysteine amino acids per molecule. The letters in red for MT2 represent amino acids in MT2 that are different than those in MT1. Cysteine contains a sulfhydryl group (SH) that has the ability to react with a number of metals including zinc, mercury, copper and cadmium. MT's are thought to function as intracellular distributors and mediators of copper and zinc, as well as playing a major role in heavy metal detoxification.

MT also plays a major role in the regulation of the immune system because it binds zinc more strongly than the zinc-dependent hormone thymulin, which activates the thymus gland - the master gland of the immune system. Excess formation of MT can lead to inadequate free zinc to activate the thymulin, which results in an increasing incidence of infections. Some researchers suspect that the MT increase that occurs with aging causes atrophy of the thymus gland due to insufficient free zinc and is a reason for the increased incidence of infections and cancer as we age.

Excess zinc, on the other hand, may lead to copper deficiency which is associated with anemia, high cholesterol, obesity, demineralization of the bones, decreased white blood cells necessary to fight infections, as well as depigmentation of hair and skin. A parent who gave their child high doses of zinc on a daily basis reported that the child's hair turned gray. Continuous zinc supplementation of as low as 18.5 mg per day for two weeks has induced copper deficiency in adults. Copper deficiency is indicated if serum copper is below 60 mcg/dL or serum ceruloplasmin is below 200 mg/L. Sometimes high doses of zinc are administered for more than a year in order to strengthen the immune system, but adults who take 225-450 mg of zinc daily have experienced nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea. It is evident that either an excess or deficiency of MT, or an excess or deficiency of zinc or copper may be harmful.

Measurements of MT-levels, as well as zinc, have been used to indicate zinc deficiency. MT increases rapidly after zinc supplementation and decreases if the diet is deficient in zinc. The zinc from plasma proteins begins to be used up when the body stores are depleted. Zinc values in the plasma below 65-70 mcg/dL are considered indicative of zinc deficiency. When the values are below 33 mcg/dL, skin-rash, abdominal pain, diarrhea, loss of appetite and a reduced sense of taste and smell can occur. Zinc deficiency is also associated with growth retardation, impaired development of bone and cartilage, poor wound healing, hair loss, night blindness, impaired immune function and delayed sexual maturation. Zinc may function as a cofactor in hundreds of different reactions so it is impossible to know which clinical symptoms are associated with particular biochemical reactions.

Glutathione

Glutathione is perhaps the major regulator determining the release of metals by MT and zinc is the major metal bound by MT in a healthy individual. Seven molecules of zinc can bind to every molecule of MT. Reduced glutathione (GSH) mediates the transfer of zinc to MT, while conversely oxidized glutathione oxidizes the sulfhydryl groups of MT and releases zinc which is then transferred to enzymes. The concentration of zinc released during transmission of brain impulses has been toxic to brain cells in cultures, indicating that MT and other regulatory proteins, such as glutathione are important in regulating zinc to less than toxic levels in the brain.

Ceruloplasmin

Ceruloplasmin is a large protein with a molecular weight of 132,000 daltons and the main copper-binding protein in serum. Each molecule will bind six atoms of copper. Low values of ceruloplasmin are found in 's disease, malnutrition and Menke's kinky hair syndrome. Elevated levels are found during pregnancy, estrogen or anti-seizure drug use, infections, tissue necrosis and trauma.

Copper

Copper values are low in cases of 's disease, Menke's kinky hair syndrome, malabsorption, cystic fibrosis and malnutrition. Elevated values are associated with infections, pregnancy, estrogen or anti-seizure drug use, inflammation, tissue necrosis, trauma, cancer, anemias, excessive dietary intake, and with systemic lupus erythematosus. The majority of serum copper is bound to ceruloplamsin and the remaining copper is bound to albumin, metallothionein or other proteins.

Zinc

Levels of zinc below normal are associated with growth retardation, impaired development of bone and cartilage, poor wound healing, hair loss, night blindness, impaired immune function and delayed sexual maturation. Conditions in which zinc levels may be low include: infectious disease, cancers and absorption problems. Excessive zinc intake may cause copper deficiency and may occur in cases of heart disease, arteriosclerosis, certain cancers and anemias.

Glutathione, reduced

Low reduced glutathione may be due to deficiencies of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, glutathione synthetase or gamma-glutamyl synthetase. Glutathione may also be low due to exposure to toxic halogenated hydrocarbons such as DDT, PCB's, or chloroform, because it combines with these toxins and is eliminated with them. Elevated reduced glutathione may be due to supplementation with glutathione or glutathione precursors, myelofibrosis or deficiency of pyrimidine-5'-nucleotidase.

To order this test, please go to http://www.greatplainslaboratory.com/ordertest.asp

References

1. Broun ER, Greist A, Tricot G, Hoffman R. Excessive zinc ingestion. A reversible cause of sideroblastic anemia and bone marrow depression. JAMA 1990 Sep 19;264(11):1441-3

2. Taneja SK, Mahajan M, Arya P. Excess bioavailability of zinc may cause obesity in humans. Experientia 1996 Jan 16;52(1):31-3

3. Mocchegiani E, Muzzioli M, Giacconi R. Zinc, MTs, immune responses, survival and ageing. Biogerontology 2000;1(2):133-43

4. Fosmire GJ. Zinc toxicity. Am J Clin Nutr 1990 Feb;51(2):225-7

5. Hoffman HN 2nd, Phyliky RL, Fleming CR. Zinc-induced copper deficiency. Gastroenterology 1988 Feb;94(2):508-12

6. Grider A, LB, Cousins RJ. Erythrocyte MT as an index of zinc status in humans. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 1990 Feb;87(4):1259-62

7. Nordberg M, Nordberg GF. Toxicological aspects of MT. Cell Mol Biol (Noisy-le-grand) 2000 Mar;46(2):451-63

8. (Cross reactivity)Tohyama C, Shaikh ZA. MT in plasma and urine of cadmium-exposed rats determined by a single-antibody radioimmunoassay. Fundam Appl Toxicol 1981 Jan-Feb;1(1):1-7

9. Coyle P, Hubert CA, Philcox JC, Rofe AM. Importance of storage conditions for the stability of zinc- and cadmium-induced MT. Biol Trace Elem Res 2001 Sep;81(3):269-78

10. Sturniolo GC, Mestriner C, Irato P, Albergoni V, Longo G, D'Inca R. Zinc therapy increases duodenal concentrations of MT and iron in 's disease patients. Am J Gastroenterol 1999 Feb;94(2):334-8

11. Park JD, Liu Y, Klaassen CD. Protective effect of MT against the toxicity of cadmium and other metals (1). Toxicology 2001 Jun 21;163(2-3):93-100

12. Sandstead HH. Requirements and toxicity of essential trace elements, illustrated by zinc and copper. Am J Clin Nutr 1995 Mar;61(3 Suppl):621S-624S

13. Shankar AH, Prasad AS Zinc and immune function: the biological basis of altered resistance to infection. Am J Clin Nutr 1998 Aug;68(2 Suppl):447S-463S

14. Polizzi B, Origgi L, Zuccaro G, Matti P, Scorza R Case report: successful treatment with cimetidine and zinc sulphate in chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis. Am J Med Sci 1996 Apr;311(4):189-190