High Copper, Metallothionein, Mental Health & Cancer

The Value of Copper & Zinc Levels Beyond Brain Health

White dots=”cysteine residues" Yellow dots =sulfur compounds

I’d like to introduce you to Metallothionein - a protein (and antioxidant) like no other - one that doesn’t get the attention it deserves.   I’m on a mission to change that.

As I mentioned in recent newsletters, metallothioneins regulate copper and zinc.  When it comes to brain health, we (Walsh trained doctors) know that the copper zinc ratio is a pretty good indicator of how well metallothioneins are doing their job.  But metallothioneins appear to be involved in other health conditions, including cancer. Because of that, it would seem that a serum copper, plasma zinc and their ratio, would have other health implications.  And it would seem that supporting these metallothioneins would be important for non-psychiatric health conditions as well. But first...

What Are Metallothioneins (MT)?

• A family of proteins.

• They consist of amino acids, 20 of them are cysteines.

• They are bound to certain essential metals (zinc as shown in the image)

• Normally they have a high affinity for essential metals such as copper and zinc, but they also have a high affinity for toxic metals like mercury, cadmium and others.

Where are They?

• Throughout the body

• The brain

• GI tract 

• Gut blood barrier 

• Blood brain barrier

What Causes Them To Be Made?

• 7 genes have been identified. 

• MTF-1 (another gene) regulates the expression of the MT’s.  Zinc is the only recognized metal that activates MTF-1 (!!!)

• Oxidative stress.  If our body and/or brain have an insult, more MT’s are made. 

  • Injury

  • Illness

  • Emotional stress

  • Exposure to toxic metals 

  • Hormones

  • Inflammatory mediators (cytokines)

Why Are They So Important? 

Brain Development

• Involved in multiple aspects of brain development,.  This is particularly relevant in autism spectrum disorders. (Nutrient Power by Dr. Willam Walsh ).

Copper & Zinc

• Storage, transport and balance of essential metals zinc and copper (as you know)

• Zinc signaling in brain cells

Heavy Metals

• Detoxification of mercury and other toxic metals - they are the first defense in the GI tract, but they also further come on board elsewhere after glutathione (GSH) levels have been depleted (when there is too much toxicity for example). Selenium is a big helper. Dr. Walsh calls MT, GSH and Selenium  the Three Musketeers. 

Powerful Antioxidant

• “Compared with other antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase, MT may be considered a more effective antioxidant.” (from Metallothionein in Brain Disorder - a nice review article)

• Protection of neurons against damage from oxidative stress

Anti-inflammatory

• Development and functioning of the immune system

• Anti-inflammatory processes

• Delivers zinc to cells throughout the body

Gastrointestinal

• Taste discrimination on the tongue

• Prevention of yeast overgrowth in the intestines (What!!?)

• Regulation of stomach acid pH

• Protection of enzymes that break down casein and gluten

Barriers

• Increase the efficiency of the gut blood barrier and blood brain barriers

Other

• Apoptosis - a good kind of cell death that is a normal and controlled part of an organism’s growth or development 

• Regulates tumor suppressor genes

• Angiogenesis processes - formation of blood vessels

• Gene regulation

Like me, you may be wondering….What are they not doing???