中国神经再生研究(英文版) ›› 2026, Vol. 21 ›› Issue (8): 3449-3461.doi: 10.4103/NRR.NRR-D-25-00011

• 综述:退行性病与再生 • 上一篇    下一篇

金属硫蛋白与神经退行性疾病

  

  • 出版日期:2026-08-18 发布日期:2026-04-25
  • 基金资助:
    国家自然科学基金项目(82460711)和贵州省科技基金项目(ZK[2021]-014)

Metallothionein and neurodegenerative diseases

Yufeng Cheng1, Yujia Zhao1, Ce Chen2, Feng Zhang1, *   

  1. 1Key Laboratory of Basic Pharmacology of Ministry of Education and Joint International Research Laboratory of Ethnomedicine of Ministry of Education and Key Laboratory of Basic Pharmacology of Guizhou Province and Laboratory Animal Center, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou Province, China; 
    2Sino-Jan Joint Lab of Natural Health Products Research, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
  • Online:2026-08-18 Published:2026-04-25
  • Contact: Feng Zhang, MD, zhangfengzmc@163.com.
  • Supported by:
    This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 82460711 and Science and Technology Foundation of Guizhou Province, No. ZK [2021]-014 (both to FZ).

摘要:

神经退行性疾病,包括阿尔茨海默病、帕金森病、肌萎缩侧索硬化、威尔逊病和亨廷顿病,是一组大脑和脊髓中神经元缺失疾病。神经退行性疾病的潜在发病机制尚在进一步研究中。目前,金属离子假说常被认为是多种神经退行性疾病的可能原因,其中金属离子稳态失衡可导致神经元中氧化应激、神经炎症、病理蛋白的过度聚集以及其他严重后果。一种强大的内源性金属离子螯合剂-金属硫蛋白能在调节金属离子稳态以缓解神经退行性疾病方面发挥重要的作用。此次综述总结了铜、铁和锌等金属离子在神经退行性疾病发病中的机制以及金属硫蛋白对金属离子稳态的调节作用,重点探索了金属离子在神经退行性疾病过程中的作用以及内源性金属硫蛋白改善金属离子超载以缓解神经退行性病变的分子机制。通过深入了解这些分子机制,可为开发神经退行性疾病的治疗策略提供理论基础。


https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1122-3640 (Feng Zhang)

关键词: 阿尔茨海默病, 肌萎缩侧索硬化, 亨廷顿病, 金属螯合剂, 金属稳态, 金属离子, 金属硫蛋白, 神经退行性疾病, 帕金森病, 威尔逊病

Abstract: Neurodegenerative diseases, which mainly include Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Wilson’s disease, and Huntington’s disease, are a group of disorders characterized by loss of neurons in the brain and spinal cord. However, the underlying pathogenetic mechanisms of these disorders remain unclear. The metal ion hypothesis is considered a possible cause of a variety of neurodegenerative diseases. This hypothesis posits that the homeostatic imbalance of metal ions leads to oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, excessive aggregation of pathological proteins, and other serious consequences in neurons. The powerful endogenous metal ion chelator metallothionein plays an important role in regulating metal ion homeostasis to alleviate neurodegenerative diseases. This article provides an overview of the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases in relation to metal ions such as copper, iron, and zinc and the contribution of metallothionein to the regulation of metal ion homeostasis. The review focuses on the role of metal ions in the course of neurodegenerative diseases and the molecular mechanisms through which endogenous metallothionein ameliorates metal ion overload to alleviate neurodegenerative diseases. A thorough understanding of these molecular mechanisms can provide a theoretical foundation for the development of new therapeutic strategies, with the aim of more effectively treating these devastating diseases in the future.

Key words: Alzheimer’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington’s disease, metal chelator, metal homeostasis, metal ion, metallothionein, neurodegenerative diseases, Parkinson’s disease, Wilson’s disease