Radioresistance in cells with high content of metallothionein.

An endogenous cytoplasmic protein, metallothionein (MT) apparently gave rise to radioresistance in 2 different cell lines. A dose reduction factor of 1.9 was achieved in MT-containing cells. MT accounted for a 3-4 fold increase of total sulfhydryl groups in the resistant cell strains, compared to the non-resistant lines from which they were derived. The protein is rich in cysteine (30%), an amino acid known to give radioprotection when administered exogenously. Glutathione levels and cell-cycle phase distribution showed no marked difference between resistant and corresponding non-resistant cells.