We have studied metallothionein (MT) induction by three primary inducers; a heavy metal, a glucocorticoid and a cytokine, and by the combinations of these inducers in the cultured cells. MT-protein was synergistically induced by either a cytokine or a heavy metal with a glucocorticoid hormone and was additively induced by the combination of a cytokine and a heavy metal, but MT-mRNA levels were not completely correlated with MT-protein levels. These results suggest that posttranscriptional regulation may be involved in the synergistic induction of MT-protein. We propose a possible mechanism in which marked MT induction by stress in vivo is dependent on the combined effect of two or more inducers, because marked MT induction is not seen by an injection of a plausible dose of either a glucocorticoid hormone or a cytokine in vivo.
