5-Azacytidine increases the total cellular copper content and basal level metallothionein mRNA accumulation of human Hep G2 cells.

In this study we have demonstrated the ability of 5-azacytidine to elevate the basal level expression of the metallothionein (MT)-IF and MT-IG genes and increase the basal level expression of the MT-IIA gene in Hep G2 cells, a cell line which exhibits heavy metal inducible MT gene expression. Atomic absorption analysis of 5-azacytidine treated Hep G2 cells detected a 2-fold increase in the total cellular copper content. Pretreatment of 5-azacytidine exposed cells with hydroxyurea and cycloheximide indicated that the increase in total cellular copper content was a direct response to 5-azacytidine treatment. S1 nuclease analysis illustrated that pretreatment of Hep G2 cells with KCN, a copper specific chelator and uptake inhibitor, suppressed 5-azacytidine- and copper-inducible MT-IG gene expression. Thus, the increase in MT gene expression in response to 5-azacytidine treatment can be correlated to an increase in the total cellular copper content. Possible mechanisms on how 5-azacytidine could alter the influx/efflux of copper in Hep G2 cells are discussed.