Induction of metallothionein by adrenocortical steroids.

Metallothionein concentration in the liver of hamsters was increased by the administration of hydrocortisone and dexamethasone. However, the increase was of a low order of magnitude (40-80%) in comparison to the large increase seen after zinc and cadmium administration (700-2000%). These data suggest that the small increase in metallothionein seen after various forms of stress could be mediated by the endogenous release of adrenocortical steroids and that the large increase exposure to cadmium or zinc is unlikely to be mediated via adrenocortical steroid hormones.